Care workers to call for equal pay dispute resolution at joint rally

Care workers from three Scottish council areas are set to demand at a joint rally over equal pay that they are not made “scapegoats”.

Home carers in Falkirk launched four days of strikes on Friday, with Renfrewshire and West Dunbartonshire Council care workers set to join a mass walkout on Wednesday.

The row comes after care workers, who are mostly low-paid women, rejected internal reviews of their pay grades, arguing that their responsibilities have significantly increased.

GMB Scotland says they are among women working in the public sector whose roles may have been undervalued compared with similar work done by male colleagues.

The joint rally will see workers from the three council areas gather in Glasgow’s George Square on Wednesday to demand resolution to the dispute.

First Minister Humza Yousaf was urged to intervene last week amid concerns that councils are not responding quickly enough to the disputes.

The GMB has warned that higher pay grades could retrospectively be added, with workers claiming up to five years’ back pay – and effectively bankrupting some councils.

Louise Gilmour, the union’s Scottish secretary, said the affected women may be “guilted” into believing they are being “greedy” if councils claim essential services will lost because of payouts.

She said: “We know local authorities are struggling to make ends meet and we know why.

“But to suggest women workers are somehow making things worse by asking for money they are owed, and in many cases have been owed for years, is as dishonest as it is disgraceful.

“To blame equal pay claims instead of the system for pay discrimination that has prevailed in our councils is scapegoating workers only asking for what they are owed.

“It is an attempt to guilt women into believing they are being greedy and risking men’s jobs by simply asking for what they are due and have been due for years and years.

“The cost of settling equal pay issues is looming over Scotland’s local councils but is not about women – it is about fairness and has been too long coming.”

GMB Scotland already has equal pay campaigns under way in Dundee, Perth and Kinross, Angus, Fife and Moray Councils, with a process expected to lead to pay reviews in more than a dozen other local authorities across Scotland.

Glasgow City Council has sold multiple assets, including Kelvingrove Art Gallery and the City Chambers, to settle an initial £770 million equal pay bill.

A spokesperson for West Dunbartonshire Health and Social Care Partnership said those receiving home care could expect disruption to the service during the strike while Falkirk warned of reduced capacity.

The spokesperson said: “We are committed to fair pay for home carers and following a thorough and robust job evaluation process the pay of a typical home carer has recently risen by at least £2,500 per annum through regrading of the role.

“We continue to work with trade union representatives and while we expect disruption to our service during this industrial action, we are doing all we can to minimise this for service users.”

A spokesperson for Renfrewshire Health and Social Care Partnership said: “Negotiations between the Health and Social Care Partnership with all trade unions continue.

“A further offer was presented to all three trade unions and Unison and Unite have paused industrial action as they consider this renewed offer.

“Unfortunately, GMB are continuing with industrial action following a consultative ballot with their members.”

A spokesperson for Falkirk Health and Social Care Partnership said previously: “We are advising those receiving care, and their families, that our care and support at home service will operate on a reduced capacity during any industrial action by GMB Scotland.

“We are in the process of communicating directly with people supported by our service to advise of likely disruption to their care.

“Falkirk Council is committed to upholding equal pay and continues to engage with GMB. We will seek to minimise disruption for those in need of our care and support at home services.”