Glasgow City Council approves new pay scheme amid equal pay dispute

Glasgow City Council has approved a new pay and grading scheme intended to resolve a long-standing equal pay dispute, though the decision is expected to result in wage reductions for some employees.

The new system affects approximately 24,000 non-teaching staff. While the council estimates that 63% of these workers will receive salary increases, roughly 11% could see their earnings decrease by as much as £11,500 per year. The implementation of the scheme is expected to cost the council approximately £170 million in backdated payments and £65 million in wages next year.

Trade unions, including Unison, GMB, and Unite, have organized protests outside the City Chambers in opposition to the proposal. Union representatives argue that the plan fails to adequately protect workers and could devastate the lives of those facing pay cuts. Council leader Susan Aitken stated that while the reduction in earnings will have a personal impact, failing to address the historical pay disparity would have been “catastrophic.”

The dispute stems from historical inequities where female workers in roles such as cleaning and catering received significantly lower hourly rates than those in male-dominated sectors like refuse collection. Since 2018, the council has paid approximately £770 million in compensation related to these issues.