17th Dec 2008 - 00:00
Abstract
St Helens Council has been forced to make amends to 37 dinner ladies who were sent letters demanding that they drop their case for equal pay.
GMB, the union and Thompsons solicitors took the case to the House of Lords and reached a successful conclusion. The compensation amount will not be disclosed due to a confidentiality clause in the settlement agreement. The Courts said: "The letter of 19 January 2001 contained what was effectively a threat. It spelt out a danger that the applicants might deprive children of school dinners and that they might cause redundancies among their colleagues. The letter was intimidation." Both sides are pleased that an amicable solution has been found but the Council has said it regrets the distress caused. Barry Smith, GMB Legal Officer said: "GMB is delighted to have won the equal pay claims for the 37 women members and now, seven years later, it is plain that the dire consequences threatened by St Helens Council have not occurred. The threat of those consequences should never have been made. The ladies have been vindicated."