Big equal pay win for UNISON

Public services union UNISON says it is on the verge of settling one of the biggest-ever equal value pay claims, on behalf of workers at North Cumbria Acute NHS Trust.

1,500 women working in jobs such as nurses, catering assistants, clerical officers, domestics and telephonists compared their work with that of jobs held primarily by men including craftsmen and maintenance workers.

In 2002, an employment tribunal agreed that the women were doing work of equal value with their male comparators.

UNISON expects to reach a settlement of the claims with the trust shortly.