THREE WOMEN SPEECH THERAPISTS ON MONDAY LAUNCHED A
THREE WOMEN SPEECH THERAPISTS ON MONDAY LAUNCHED A BATTLE
AGAINST THEIR NHS EMPLOYERS IN A BID TO WIN EQUAL PAY.
THE WON, BACKED BY THEIR UNION THE A.
S.
T.
M.
S AND THE EQUAL
OPPORTUNITIES COMMISSION, HAVE TAKEN THEIR CASE TO AN INDUSTRIAL
TRIBUNAL CLAIMING FINANCIAL DISCRIMINATION BY THEIR THREE HEALTH
AUTHORITY EMPLOYERS.
A 40-STRONG LOBBY GREETED THE WOMEN WHEN THEY ARRIVED
AT THE CHELSEA TRIBUNAL FOR THE TEST CASE HEARING, WHICH IS EXPECTED
TO LAST 10 DAYS.
MRS LORRIANE KELLY-ATHERTON, 37, FROM CARDIFF, HAS TAKEN
SOUTH GLAMORGAM HEALTH AUTHORITY TO THE TRIBUNAL, DR PAM ENDERBY,
37, FROM GRITTLETON, WILTSHIRE, THE FRENCHAY HEALTH AUTHORITY,
AND MRS ELIZABETH CLARK, 50, OF CHISLEHURST, KENT, THE BEXLEY HEALTH
AUTHORITY.
IF THEY WIN THEY STAND TO INCREASE THEIR SALARIES BY AT
LEAST #2,000 IN THE CASE OF DR ENDERBY, AND FROM #8,000 TO #11,500 IN
THE CASES OF MRS KELLY-ATHERTON AND MRS CLARK.
MR ANTHONY LESTER, QC, REPRESENTING THE THERAPISTS SAID:
”THIS IS A TEST CASE UNDER THE 1970 EQUAL PAY ACT – THE APPLICANTS
CLAIM THEY ARE DOING SIMILAR WORK TO THE MEN BUT RECEIVING MUCH LESS
MONEY.
”THE LAW IS A PRINCIPLE GUARANTEEING EQUAL PAY FOR WORK OF
EQUAL VALUE,” HE ADDED.
AND HE SAID ALL THREE SPEECH THERAPISTS COMPARED THEIR
SALARIES WITH CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGISTS AND PHARMACISTS EMPLOYED BY
THEIR RESPECTIVE HEALTH AUTHORITIES.
OF THE THREE PROFESSIONS, TWO-THIRDS OF PHARMACISTS ARE
WOMEN, AS ARE 55 PERCENT OF PSYCHOLOGISTS, BUT THERE ARE ONLY 40 MEN
OUT OF 2,040 SPEECH THERAPISTS, THE TRIBUNAL HEARD.
MR ELDRED TABUCHNIK, QC, FOR THE THREE HEALTH AUTHROITIES,
SAID PAY WAS GOVERNED BY DHSS RULES AND COULD ONLY BE CHANGED ON A
MINISTER’S ORDER.
”AS FAR AS THE HEALTH AUTHORITIES ARE CONCERNED IT IS A
CASE OF OURS IS NOT TO QUESTION WHY, OURS IS TO DO AND DIE.
”
AND HE SAID A VARIETY OF CIRCUMSTANCES CAUSED THE DIFFERENT
LEVELS OF PAY.
”PHARMACISTS IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR GET HIGHER WAGES, THE
DHSS HAS THEREFORE GOT TO HAVE RATES TO COMPETE.
IT IS MARKET
FORCES,” HE SAID.
THERE HEARING BEGAN WITH LEGAL SUBMISSIONS FROM MR ELDRED
TABACHNIK (COR), THAT THE TRIBUNAL DID NOT HAVE POWER TO DEAL WITH
THE CASE.
SPEECH THERAPISTS’ WAGES HAD FALLEN BEHIND THOSE OF CLINICAL
PSYCHOLOGISTS AND PHARMACISTS – PROFESSIONS WHICH ALSO HAVE A
MAJORITY OF WOMEN – NOT BECAUSE OF DISCRIMINATION BUT BECAUSE SPEECH
THERAPISTS HAD OPTED OUT OF A NEW PAY BARGAINING STRUCTURE SET UP IN
1983, SAID MR TABACHNIK.
”THIS HISTORIC LINK WAS SEVERED IN 1983 WHEN THE OTHERS OPTED
TO GO INTO THE REVIEW BODY AND THE SPEECH THERAPISTS DIDN’T.
”THE CONSEQUENCE WAS THAT THEY HAVE NOW FALLEN BEHIND THE
OTHERS WHO ARE DOING CONSIDERABLY BETTER”.
SPEECH THERAPISTS’ PAY IS NOW NEGOTIATED BY AN AD HOC BODY
WHICH MAKES RECOMMENDATION TO THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR HEALTH, AND
THE TRIBUNAL DID NOT HAVE JURISDICTION TO ADJUDICATE, SAID MR
TABACHNIK.
HE ADDED: ”I WILL HAVE TO TAKE INSTRUCTIONS ON THIS BUT THE
MORE I HEAR OF THE CASE THE MORE I THINK IT WILL HAVE TO GO TO
LUXEMBOURG – AND THE SOONER THE BETTER.
”
THE HEARING CONTINUES TODAY (TUES).
ENDS
