Council agrees to settle nearly 1,000 equal pay claims after four-year battle

A local authority has struck a deal with trade union Unison to settle nearly 1,000 equal pay claims.

The move means that a hearing in the Court of Appeal scheduled for March will be deferred.

The agreement covers 943 claims from current and ex-employees of the council. Settlement offers will now be sent out to the claimants, who worked in a wide range of roles including as carers, catering assistants, cleaners and domestic assistants.

Bury was the first local authority identified by Unison – back in 2007 – for mass litigation on equal pay.

Cllr Mike Connolly, Bury’s Leader, said: "I said, on becoming leader of this council, that I was determined to resolve this long-running matter. We have worked with the trade unions to reach an agreement that is fair to current and former employees and also good value for the Bury taxpayer, whose money we have a duty to safeguard.”

Cllr Connolly added: “At this moment, I cannot disclose the amounts of money involved. There are still outstanding claims to be progressed with other claimants who are either not represented or represented by firms other than solicitors who represent the Unison claimants.”

The council said a further 138 claims are still outstanding.

Unison claimed that Bury had “wasted more than £1m of public money by fighting the claims through the courts”, adding that the case had involved more than 30 days of Tribunal and Appeal Tribunal hearings.

The union’s Regional Manager, Steve Stott, said: “This is a great day for the low paid women carers, cleaners, caterers and many others working for Bury Council. They have been waiting long enough for pay justice.

“We are pleased that the council has at last accepted its responsibility to treat its women workers fairly. Most of the women’s claims which were first lodged in 2007 and for nearly five years the council has been wasting precious public money trying to defend the indefensible.”