Unison calls for improved pay for women

A campaign aimed at closing the pay gap between men and women
working in local government was launched by trade union Unison.

The organisation, which represents 600,000 women in local
government, criticised the slow progress made in improving pay and
conditions for women since the establishment of the Equal Pay Act
in 1970.

According to Unison, women currently make up 71 per cent of the
local authority workforce and 84 per cent of social services staff,
but earn only 79 per cent of men’s pay.

The Getting Equal campaign aims to address this imbalance by
calling for an increase in women’s pay and contractual entitlements
in line with equal value principles, and for the prevention of the
reduction in pay and conditions of part time workers.

Other aims include generating cases and case law which establish
positive precedents, creating a wider awareness of equal pay laws
and issues, and accelerating the successful implementation of pay
and grading reviews.