Equal Pay not Lower Pay

That the Parliament expresses profound concern that the Scottish Executive has included no plans in its draft budget to assist local authorities to meet their obligations in respect of single status and equal pay; is appalled that Falkirk Council has issued a 90-day notice to its staff to impose changes and detriment to their terms and conditions by making them redundant on 17 December 2006 and re-engaging them on 18 December in opposition to, and over the heads of, the trade unions and their members; believes that the council should withdraw its 90-day notice and join the trade unions to demand that the Executive pays up to meet its existing duty to do all it can to achieve equal pay; believes that equal pay should be achieved by levelling up, not down; acknowledges that women have struggled to achieve as much pay as men, not for men to be paid as little as them, and calls on the Executive to amend its budget proposals to include plans and resources that will deliver equal pay in conjunction with local authorities and with the agreement of trade unions and their members.