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Almost one-quarter of workers offered compensation in Oldham MBC's first round of equal pay settlements did not show up last week. A council spokesman said 299 workers turned up and received cheques of up to £8,000, but 83 who were also invited failed to attend. The spokesman said some workers simply forgot or let the council know in advance that they could not make the signing. The workers will be able to sign up to the equal pay deal at other sessions. Oldham MBC's executive director for strategy and resources, Sean Harriss, said: ‘The positive response we have had from the majority of people has made us even more determined to defend any legal claims robustly.' Meanwhile, members of the Grampian Joint Police Board rejected calls from Aberdeen City Council, Aberdeenshire Council and Moray Council to cut the money they give the force in order to settle single-status pay deals. A spokesman for Aberdeen City Council said: ‘We have a good relationship with them and it's not something we are going to fall out over.' And members of the GMB at North Tyneside MBC are likely be balloted for strike action over the authority's equal pay offer. A council spokesman said: ‘We do not believe there is any real likelihood of a strike resulting from negotiations.' GMB Scotland has also urged its members at the Orkney Islands Council to reject its equal pay offer. Union organiser, Alex McLuckie, said: ‘This offer represents about 50% of what an employee would reasonably expect to be awarded if they were successful at an employment tribunal.' But a council spokesman said it was ‘offering the maximum it can afford without affecting jobs'.

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FINANCE

Oldham's no-show

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