Good negotiations begin with a well organised workplace, where the union membership know their rights and are determining the issues reps are negotiating on. If the bargaining issues are owned by the membership and the wider workforce, reps will be in a much stronger position to negotiate a good deal for employees.
The best way to determine how others feel is to start a conversation about it.
Disciplining someone for talking about equal pay is against the law.
Don’t assume that your colleagues know their rights and entitlements in relation to equal pay. Sharing the information you have collected by asking the questions in Section 4 will help you talk to colleagues and help them realise any injustice. Be proactive - don’t wait for others to come to you.
Remember an employer has a vested interest in tackling equal pay issues because resolving cases through the courts can be a lengthy and costly process.
A letter (or email) can outline what it is that members want and citing the arguments why an employer should meet that demand.The information you have gleaned from surveying members and from the questions you have asked of your employer will inform the content of the letter. Members will need to think about and discuss how to approach this letter and subsequent negotiations.
