This week, the Court of Appeal has ruled that women working for Sheffield City Council are entitled to the same bonus payments as men.
This week, a group of 13 women in Sheffield have persuaded the Court of Appeal to make a decision that could affect the pay of thousands of others across the country. The women are care workers and school meals staff and do not currently receive bonus payments. Men who work in jobs that are of equal value [such as gardening and street cleaning] do receive bonus payments which Sheffield City Council says are paid to boost productivity. On Wednesday, the Court of Appeal decided that the women have been discriminated against not on the basis of their work, but because of their gender. Their union, UNISON, says that these women, and thousands like them, could now claim retrospectively for six years worth of bonuses. So, just what are the implications of the Court of Appeal ruling? Will councils be able to meet the extra financial burden? |
