Settlement at last in epic battle for equal pay rights

Sheffield City Council announced yesterday it has reached agreement with public sector unions after a four-year court battle over the equal pay rights of hundreds of women which has seen both sides rack up hefty legal bills.

Tens of thousands of low-paid female workers from right across the public sector were told they were entitled to better pay several years ago after equal rights legislation forced councils to compare their roles with manual workers in predominantly male roles.

While most local authorities agreed settlements with their staff relatively quickly, Sheffield City Council has been at loggerheads with unions since its case was first heard by an employment tribunal back in 2007.

Both sides appealed and the case has been battled out in the courts ever since. Yesterday’s settlement – the details of which remain confidential – was finally reached ahead of a planned Supreme Court hearing next month.

Pete Davies of the GMB union said he was “delighted” the case has finally been resolved and said the change of administration at Sheffield Council – where Labour dethroned the Liberal Democrats in May – had been key to making the breakthrough.

“Common sense has finally prevailed,” he said. “We have been arguing with Sheffield about these claims for so many years, while every other local authority in Yorkshire and just about every one across the country managed to settle their own claims.

“For some reason in Sheffield the attitude has always been that they should do it through the courts. It has been extremely expensive for the taxpayer and extremely expensive for the trade unions.

“Almost since the first day that Labour came to power they have resumed negotiations and shown a very different attitude to that of the Lib Dems.”

Mr Davies said the union had received assurances from the council that the settlement would be paid for in its entirety from within a specific budget set aside to resolve the dispute, and that there would therefore be no negative impact for taxpayers on local services or for existing staff.

Julie Toner, director of human resources at Sheffield City Council, said the authority was content that the matter had been settled satisfactorily.

“We have been in discussions with the trade unions representing workers in Sheffield since May this year and have undertaken an exhaustive process to reach an amicable and positive settlement for all involved,” she said.

“The terms of the settlement are confidential so we will not be making any further comment. Suffice to say we are content this has now been settled.

“The council resolved equal pay status across the authority for its workforce last April.”