More than 10,000 female NHS Scotland workers are demanding back pay, prompting fears that patient care will suffer as health chiefs struggle to foot the bill.
More than 10,000 female NHS Scotland workers are demanding back pay, prompting fears that patient care will suffer as health chiefs struggle to foot the bill.
The total cost of NHS equal-pay claims could reach £300m, with the Scottish Executive yet to confirm whether it will meet the costs to prevent frontline services suffering.
Female cleaners, catering staff and nursing assistants are among those who have lodged claims on the basis that they were paid less than men in jobs demanding the same level of skill.
The total number of staff and former staff lodging employment claims has gone beyond 10,000, according to Unison, the union representing the workers.
That is on top of the tens of thousands of local government workers affected by a wave of equal pay claims and disputes across the country.
A conservative estimate is that each NHS worker is claiming £10,000 back, but the true figure could be much higher. NHS staff in England and Wales received an average of £30,000 each for similar claims.
The executive is now under pressure to give assurances that it will foot the bill, to ensure patients do not pay the penalty.
Glyn Hawker, Unison's Scottish organiser for health, said: "Unison is currently bringing legal claims for equal pay for thousands of women members working in Scotland's health service. We have a proud record on equal pay. Most of the groundbreaking equal pay cases were fought for by Unison.
"Our goal is to ensure that our low-paid women members get the compensation that is due to them and at the same time protect the vital services that the public rely on.
"This compensation should not be paid for either by other low-paid staff suffering cuts in pay and conditions, or by patients suffering cuts in services.
"That is why it is essential that government ensures that this is fully funded."
The executive has indicated that it will wait until employment tribunals are resolved before considering what action to take.
A spokeswoman said: "We acknowledge that in Scotland there are equal pay claims against the NHS at varying stages of progress.
"These claims are a matter between employers and employees and will require to be tested through established processes for resolving employment issues. In light of that, the executive continues to monitor the position in relation to this issue."
Some councils have already warned of real pay cuts to cover the cost of readjusting their pay scales to give cleaners and white-collar administrative staff, most of whom are women, parity with blue-collar workers, most of whom are men.
Argyll and Bute Council, for example, has warned that nearly one in four members of staff will face pay cuts.
Some of the workers losing out are not happy. One-third of employees at Glasgow City Council alone have protested against re-grading brought in as a result of legislation. Women, as well as men, have found their jobs downgraded.
Nearly 10,000 remain in dispute with the authority, opening up the prospect of nearly £50m in compensation. Hundreds of staff warned last week they could strike after the council told them all overtime and Sunday working, for which they had been paid either time-and-a-half or double time, was now to be paid at single time rates. A council spokesman said the move was necessary to comply with the equal pay legislation.
Another 2000 workers in North Lanarkshire are also in dispute, with nearly as many again dotted around the rest of the country.
Those claims will come on top of the £117m in equal pay compensation already paid out by Scottish councils. The Herald last summer revealed that the employment tribunal service was gearing up for tens of thousands of cases as council and other public employees dispute equal pay awards.
