Male workers win equal pay claims

A "landmark" legal decision involving three councils in the north east of England could pave the way for 12,000 men to take forward equal pay claims.

Financial settlements had earlier been made on groups of women workers paid less than men doing similar work.

On Tuesday, the Employment Appeal Tribunal ruled that 300 male workers had been discriminated against as they were then on lower pay than the women.

The men, who were working in jobs such as care assistants, caretakers, drivers and leisure attendants, had lodged discrimination claims about bonuses paid to male workers in better paid jobs such as gardeners and refuse collectors.

This was at the same time as women in low paid jobs, who were also claiming that the bonuses were discriminatory.

'Piggy back'

Whilst the women's case succeeded and they were offered financial settlements, the men were not. This left them in a worse financial situation to the women, as well as the better-paid men.

The Employment Appeal Tribunal ruled that the 300 men should have been offered the same back pay as the women. These claims are sometimes called piggy back claims as the men "piggy back" on the successful women's claims.

'Flipper' elected as Speaker?

John 'Flipper' Bercow (not pictured opposite) has been elected, by his peers as Speaker of the House of Commons.

So can we expect reform of MP's expenses from a man who 'cannot recall' if he benefitted from non-payment of Capital Gains Tax on the two properties he 'flipped' before selling?

What do you think?

Read it here.

Robbing of Britain, Sustained: Part Deux

The Royal Bank of Scotland is set to announce a profligate and obscene £9.6 million pay deal for its chief executive, it was reported today.

Stephen Hester is believed to be in line for a salary of £1.2m, £6.4m in long-term share and stock option awards and an annual non-cash bonus of £2m.

You could make it up, but then people wouldn't believe it!

Read it here

Location, Location, Location

It comes to our attention that in the continuing headlong rush to sell off the family silver, MoD are currently touting Kentigern House to the highest bidders...

...no doubt the nation will be rewarded with a deal that gives everything to private interests and nothing much to the public purse.

Ian Fraser of Scotland West Branch said, "PCS believe that this development will open the door for some departments to leave Kentigern House in Glasgow and head back down south, we are also concerned about the future maintenance of the building by a private sector landlord and whether some building support staff would transfer to the new property owner. Your BEC will be discussing this very worrying development at our next meeting (3 July 09) and I will keep you informed of our plans to oppose the sale of Kentigern House!"

We will keep you fully informed of developments, but if you hear of something first, do let us know.

Fred the Shred let's go...

...of at least some of his ill gotten gains. He still walks away loaded with more than sections worth of pensions mind!





Read the article here.

Veterans Agency National Branch backs Serwotka

Veterans Agency National Branch today voted to support the campaign to re-elect Mark Serwotka as General Secretary of PCS.






Read more here: VA Branch blog

Bank worker given double pay by mistake will keep receiving her boosted salary

Significant ruling in a case points the way to defence of members who receive overpayments in the future.





Newspaper article

Workers can accrue holiday even when on long-term sick leave, rules House of Lords

Mark Serwotka, general secretary of the Public and Commercial Services Union, said: "This is a victory for common sense."

Newspaper article

Where's Waldo?

You might, like us , have received the latest copy of @SPVA, the "Norcross Special Edition". And like us, you might be wondering what has happened to the Norcross Trade Union Side, as like Waldo, they seem to be missing ?

Norcross TUS say, "Fear not, we are still here... we just seem to have been overlooked! Again!!!

Should we read anything into that?

Maybe, maybe not... depends how you read One Agency, One Team we guess?"

Say 'no' to fascist civil servants

Please sign the petition to say 'no' to the BNP in the civil and public service.
Civil servants deliver a huge range of services as part of implementing government policies and programmes.
It is vital that we prevent BNP members from working in public services so the public are assured extremists are not able to discriminate against people including ethnic minorities as well as women, gay people and the disabled.
Staff should instead promote legal public sector equality duties. The prison service and the police service are currently allowed to ban staff from being members of far-right groups and we wish to see a ban extended across the public sector especially in the Home Office.

Link