obligations on the right of women and men to claim equal pay for work of equal value. This was the final verdict in legal proceedings that started in 1979.
European law says that all member states. should provide for equal pay for work of equal value their legislation. Our Equal Pay Act says however, that women can claim equal pay where they do the same or broadly where there has been a job evaluation scheme that has given her job the same value as a man's in the same workplace.
The European Court ruled not satisfactory and that snould be possibie to clalm equai pay for work of equal value where there is no system of job evaluation.
The government is now obliged amend The Equal Pay Act which could have important im. plications for thousands of But instead of amending the Equal Pay Act and allowing discussion in the House of Commons, the government troduced draft order under Section 2(2) of the Communities Act 1972. Section 2(2) allows a designated Minister to implement Community obilgation by oracl. Sec. tion 2(4) of the same Act MALE ORDER reported a few weeks ago groups were clamming distribute million leaflets over Easter one for every-abortion done under the 1967 Act.
A reader sent us a leaflet been pushed through their allabortion group 'LIFE'.
The picture on the front allegedly shows fingers holding 10-week old foetus, with just the tiny feet showing. The whole tenor of the leaflet is to appeal to the emotions ... a picture of a bouncing baby (not caption, 'But for LIFE.. enables an order to amend an Act of Parliament.
An order, like statutory instrument cannot be amended, bypasses committees only allowed minutes acoale.
The Draft Order, which the governmen ublished in February totally inadequate. In many ways it puts women in a worse position than at The Equal Pay Act has already been criticised for being Cullica difficult Order will make it more se operate. The and presents women with all osl impossible obstacle race if they want to claim equal value with a man.
he biggest problem facing the majority of women is that they work in low paid, low status 'women only' workplaçes. They are not covered by the provision of the Equal Pay Act because they cannot compare themselves to a man doing the same or broadly similar work.
The concept of equal pay for work of equal enable woman to compare herself will a man doing alteren work but of equal value.
LIFE are obviously hoping appeal tU ecologists, campaigners, anti-racists and even feminists with their propaganda:
"The double standard: to condemn apartheid, sexdiscrimination yet to accept discrimination against the unborn ... to baby sealculling but to turn a blind eye mass culling pre-born human beings ... to demonstrate about a possibie lulure nucita!
holocaust but to ignore the silent holocaust of the unborn already happening all around us...
• Counter leaflets the •volute National Abortion fampaign, 374 Grays Inn Rd, London 101-278 0153).
This Order must be opposed. It will do nothing to encourage women to claim equal value with men. will make equal pay claims even more difficult complicated unan al oresent.
• Women may be faced with huge costs Women will have an added burden of proof in equal value cases • Equal value claims can be dismissed before they are even heard • 'Experts', untrained in cuually legislation, have a decisive influence on the Industrial Tribunal • No guidelines criteria as to value may be establisned Successful equal value claims are most unlikely m view of the obstacles the government have placed at every stage of proceedings.
The labour movement should campaign to get a firm commitment from the Labour Party that a future Labour government would introduce an amendment to the daual Pay Act or equal pay work equal value.
Motions opposing the Order should be put forward to trade unions at national and branch level as soon as possible.
• Further information can . be obtained Rights Unit, NCCL, Tabard Street, London SEI 4LA JOHN TILLEY MP has Private Member's (sic) Bill to make lape I Illaillage d criminal offence.
This is in response to "campaigning by women who are outraged that married women don't have the right to say 'no to violence, rape and intimidation their nusoanu. because marital LaDe is not The Rape in Marriage Campaign is a group of women campaigning for the law be changec all women welcome to join The campaign can be contacted • at Grays 9841/354 2401 or 5054. A NEW pressure group has sprung up in response to the campaigns waged by women in the peace camps and the disarma'Women for Defence" put the obvious Women for War it has been ORDER formed Lady mits that doesn't know much about war or nuclear weapons and this ignorance is reflected in campaign's first pres meterse worse contains some very nasty people it pro claims. true: all-Tory Women Defence campaign be s no exception.
Socialist Action 8 April 1983 provide economic People's
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THE EUROPEAN Court of Justice has ruled that the UK government has not fulfilled its EEC Treaty
Anti-choice campaign
Save the Unborn Child Rape in Marriage
MALE Women for Defence