Progress on Ending Gender Pay Discrimination

That the Parliament recognises what it considers the years of pay discrimination that local government workers, primarily women, have endured; further recognises what it sees as the determination shown by those workers in their fight for equal pay; welcomes the progress that it believes local authorities across Scotland have made in providing equal pay settlements to thousands of workers, but understands that great lengths are still required to completely end gender discrimination in the workplace and deliver equal pay; condemns what it considers the UK Government’s attacks on workers’ rights and trade unions through the Trade Union Act 2016 and calls for the Act to be abolished, and considers that there is a need for a Bill to strengthen workers’ rights to end pay discrimination, including statutory rights for union equality representatives, allowing cross-employer comparators in equal pay cases, and stronger maternity, paternity and caring rights at work.