Crunch meeting for pay row care workers

9:27am Wednesday 16th July 2008

A GROUP of former home care workers will continue their fight for a cash payout from Bolton Council when they meet solicitors today.

The women claim they have missed out on an equal pay settlement paid by the council to colleagues because they had been made redundant and were only told they were entitled to it once the deadline to claim had passed.

Now the group, who have hundreds of years service between them caring for the borough's elderly and vulnerable, say they are prepared to take legal action to get what they believe they are owed. Group spokesman Barbara Kay said: "All we want is a decent offer and for them to act reasonably.

"We've been fighting for something for the last two years.

"There could be hundreds more out there who have lost out."

The dispute started in 2006 when the council announced that female staff working as dinner ladies and cleaners had not received the same bonuses as men with jobs in the same pay grade.

More than 2,000 employees were awarded a share of a £7.2 million payout, going back six years, as compensation.

London-based law firm Leigh Day and Co are meeting the group between 10am and 5pm today, at Bolton Parish Church Hall, and would welcome any new enquiries.

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