TRADE union bosses have responded to their critics in the row over equal pay for York council workers.

Unison has previously come under fire from campaign group Action4Equality, for allegedly misrepresenting their members.

But the union today hit back, saying it was they who were getting the best deal for claimants.

Alan Hughes, Unison's senior equal pay negotiator in Yorkshire, said Action4Equality were essentially "no win no fee" lawyers, who took a considerable cut of any settlement.

He said: "The reality is that these are commercial operators who take claims in return for a cut of any compensation awards."

He said firms such as Action4Equality had been building up complainants' hopes of big payouts, when the true value of most claims was much lower.

Last month, The Press reported on the situation in York, where 79 workers are taking City of York Council to tribunal to get compensation for years of under-payment. Action4Equality have suggested each employee could be entitled to up to £21,000, but Mr Hughes said: "The figures touted about are based on an example of a woman employed for six years, working 37 hours a week for 52 weeks a year. The school meals workers featured are part time workers working term time only. It is clear that the overwhelming majority of claims for part time women workers will not be for the large sums being bandied about."

Mr Hughes said the approach taken by firms such as Action4Equality did not tackle the long-term issue of low pay.

In North Yorkshire, Unison has received complaints that Action4Equality has withdrawn from 90 claims while Unison has successfully settled over 250 cases."

He added: "When we are dealing with the problem of low pay we are ready to use the law. We have lodged thousands of claims for our members which we will pursue without charging fees.

"At the same time, we are negotiating a long term solution, including a future pay system, which is fair and equal for men and women.

"We are also negotiating safeguards for existing staff without creating financial deficits which could cost jobs and services."

Eileen Goodenough, of Action4Equality, said Unison's comments were a "smokescreen" for ten years of shortcomings.

She said: "The reality is that the unions, in collaboration with the council, have kept the women in the dark, failed to implement the pay rises, used the money to subsidise higher paid jobs. And the arrogance of it is - it is over the heads of the low paid women workers.

"Over the last ten years the women were not told - they were kept in the dark."

She said their partners, Stefan Cross Solicitors, had won settlements of up to ten times a union's recommendation.

She added: "At Leeds City Council a settlement has been, on average, three times and sometimes up to 100 per cent higher than the compensation negotiated by the unions. And it has included office staff, receptionists, leisure staff, bus escorts, supervisory staff - all excluded from the compensation negotiated by the council and unions."

Last week, The Press reported how pensioner Elsie Blackburn felt she had been overlooked in the saga over equal pay.

The 65-year-old, of Woodthorpe, York, retired from City of York Council five years ago, after 25 years' service. She believes she is entitled to claim compensation for two years' underpayment, but said she was never told of her rights - and when she asked for more information was told she had missed the deadline for applying.


Background to the equal pay saga

In 1988, a Local Government Job Evaluation Scheme applied to councils nationwide established six grades of manual worker.

Jobs in each grade were held to be of equal value, and therefore deserved equal pay.

Under the 1997 Single Status Agreement, underpaid employees are entitled to claim six years of back pay if they have been paid less than colleagues on the same grade.

April 1 this year was the deadline for councils to ensure true equality, and some authorities - in an apparent attempt to pre-empt large claims - offered compensation in return for agreeing not to make a claim.

City of York Council has offered 1,420 people compensation and 1,290 have accepted - but 79 employment tribunals will take place next year, and a further 51 cases are still outstanding.