Aberdeen council to spend £15m in equal pay settlements

Aberdeen City Council is set to pay out about £15m in equal pay settlements to 2,500 workers.
The offer, which will be sent out in a letter to the workers this week, covers five years' back pay and aims to compensate the cleaners, caterers and carers by bringing their jobs into line with their male colleagues.

The proposal follows a walk-out last month where more than half Aberdeen's schools were closed and 10,000 pupils had the day off.

The 2,500 workers will be offered up to £15,000 each but some women said they were entitled to £25,000. The council will also spend a further £250,000 providing workers with free legal advice.

Scotland's 32 councils agreed in 1999 that male and female workers should get the same wages for similar jobs.

Tommy Campbell, regional officer with the Transport and General Workers' Union, said he had arranged a meeting with the workers next Friday to discuss the offers.