Council reaches agreement over equal pay claims

Date published: 02 February 2012

Bury Council has reached agreement with the trade union Unison over hundreds of equal pay claims.

The agreement with Unison and their solicitors covers 943 claims from current and former council employees.

Councillor Mike Connolly, leader of Bury Council, 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.

“I am pleased to announce that agreement has been reached with Unison which will mean settlement offers will now be going out to our employees and former employees.

“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.

“A joint application with Unison will be made to the Court of Appeal to defer the Appeal Hearing scheduled for March, thus saving further legal costs.”

The council has already settled 672 claims, and a further 138 are still outstanding.

Cllr Connolly added: “I hope that these settlement offers will be accepted and that we can now move on and work together, as we always have, for the good of Bury and its people.”