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Equal Pay Claims

STRANRAER council workers are leading a claim that could prove hundreds have been shortchanged by equal pay deals.

Four women from the area have just rejected offers from the local authority of up to £3000.

And union United and Independent (U&I) claim they could expect up to five times what was proposed. This has been rejected by bosses at Dumfries and Galloway Council.

The equal pay deals of between £1200 and £3000 were tabled at a grievance procedure at the end of last week. They were turned down on the advice of union U&I. Their secretary, Margaret-Ann Jones, claims a Freedom of Information request showed the offer was equivalent to a one year payment, instead of an expected five. She said:

"We do believe the offer is way below what they are really due and that is probably the same for other workers who have already accepted the offer from the council.

"The council should not be trying to negotiate people's rights away."