Vol. 206 No. 2
asked the Minister for Local Government if he is aware that the arbitration award recently made in relation to the salary scale for clerical officers in the local government service has divided the grade into the categories male and female; and that this decision is contrary to the practice heretofore in operation; and if he will remove the restriction and allow female clerical officers to be remunerated on the same basis as male clerical officers.
53.
asked the Minister for Local Government if, in relation to the recent arbitrator's award regarding salary scales for clerical officers in the service of local authorities, he will ensure that female clerical officers will continue to be afforded parity of remuneration.
54.
andMr. Spring asked the Minister for Local Government whether he will ensure that in future among employees in the service of local authorities single men and women will receive equal pay for equal work.
55.
andMr. McQuillan asked the Minister for Local Government, in relation to the recent arbitrator's award for salary scales for clerical officers in the Local Government service, which is divided into two categories, male and female, and which sets out that female clerical officers would be paid £1 a week less than their male colleagues for the same work, whether this is in accord with Government policy; and if it is in conformity with the policy objectives implicit in membership of EEC.
56.
asked the Minister for Local Government if he will continue to exercise his powers under the local government code to ensure to female clerical officers of local authorities parity of remuneration with their male counterparts, despite the recent arbitrator's award in relation to the salary scale for clerical officers.
57.
asked the Minister for Local Government if he intends to continue to exercise his power under the local government code to afford to female clerical officers in the local government service the parity of remuneration which they have and which it is now proposed to remove under the arbitrator's award recently made in relation to the salary scale for clerical officers.
58.
asked the Minister for Local Government if, having regard to the widespread dissatisfaction amongst women clerical officers in the local government service with the recent arbitrator's award which awards female officers £1 per week less than their male colleagues for the same work, he will ensure parity of remuneration as heretofore.
59.
asked the Minister for Local Government if he is aware of the grave unrest among female clerical officers in the local government service caused by the recent award of the official arbitrator which does not provide them with parity of remuneration with male colleagues who have similar qualifications and who perform similar duties; if he will state the reason for this departure from precedent; and if, in view of (a) the provisions of the Constitution, (b) the long established terms of the local government employment code applied to serving female clerical officers, and (c) the terms of the Treaty of Rome which stipulate equal pay for equal work, he will grant parity of remuneration to all clerical officers in the local government service.
I propose, with your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, to take questions Nos. 52 to 59 inclusive together.
The Chairman of the Arbitration Board in his report on the claim of local authority clerical officers for increased remuneration recommended separate salary scales for men and women. At present there is a common scale for men and women. The initiative in relation to any action to be taken on the arbitrator's recommendation rests with the local authorities. So far, no proposals, arising from the recommendation, have been submitted for my sanction. It would, therefore, be inappropriate for me and contrary to established practice, to discuss the implications of the recommendation at this stage.
Could the Minister say if the arbitrator took this decision on his own initiative or were representations made suggesting a differentiation?
I am afraid I could not say that. I really do not know.
Would the Minister bring to the attention of local authorities, before he gets any recommendation from them, the fact that the Government have taken a decision in principle in regard to equal pay for equal work consequent on Government ambitions to get into the Common Market?
I take it members of local authorities are not unaware of that situation.
