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Equal Pay Act 1970

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34: 218:, though the legislation also paved the way for the UK's entry to the European Community, helping to bring it towards conformity with Article 119 of the Treaty of Rome, which says that 'each Member State shall ensure that the principle of equal pay for male and female workers for equal work or work of equal value is applied.'. The Act came into force on 29 December 1975. The term 276:. Single Status was intended to establish whether jobs were of equal value, and bring in a pay model which would remove the need for equal pay claims. Jobs which had previously been classed as manual or administrative/clerical would be brought together under one pay scale and one set of terms and conditions. 206:
resolving 'its support for the principles of equality of treatment and opportunity for women workers in industry, and calls upon the General Council to request the government to implement the promise of 'the right to equal pay for equal work' as set out in the Labour Party election manifesto'.
878:, on the equal treatment of men and women in employment regarding the definitions of direct and indirect discrimination, harassment and provisions on maternity. It comes fully into effect in August 2008, and just does a consolidating job and repeals a number of previous Directives, including 259:
Once the employee has established that they are employed on 'equal work' with their comparator then they are entitled to 'equal pay' unless the employer proves that the difference in pay is genuinely due to a material factor which is not the difference in gender.
485:, in which the Supreme Court said that employees can claim equal pay up to six years after leaving their job. Leading legal experts have suggested that this could open the floodgates of litigation, with the public sector bearing the brunt of the impact. 222:
is interpreted in a broad sense to include, on top of wages, things like holidays, pension rights, company perks and some kinds of bonuses. The legislation has been amended on a number of recent occasions to incorporate a simplified approach under
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says polls in 1968–69 showed public opinion was moving strongly in favour of equal pay for equal work; nearly three-quarters of those polled favoured the principle. A trigger cause for the introduction of the legislation was the
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that prohibited any less favourable treatment between men and women in terms of pay and conditions of employment. The act was proposed by the then Labour government, and was based on the
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In 1978, despite the passage of legislation to promote equal pay, women's relative position in the UK was still worse than in Italy, France, Germany, or the Benelux countries in 1972.
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that is common to all member states. The 1970 Act only dealt with equal pay for the same work but in 1975 the EU directive on Equal Pay was passed based on article 119.
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1 WLR 549, the work may be rated as equivalent under EqPA s 1(5) through a job evaluation scheme which is 'thorough in analysis and capable of impartial application'
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Deakin, Simon, et al. "Are litigation and collective bargaining complements or substitutes for achieving gender equality? A study of the British Equal Pay Act."
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The implementation of Single Status in local government led to many claims being brought by employees as they sought compensation for past pay disparity.
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That the work done by the claimant is of equal value (in terms of effort, skill, decision and similar demands) to that of the other employee.
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job evaluation for local government, hoping that this would enforce the Equal Pay Act without needing to take numerous pay claims to
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In the 1964 general election, the Labour Party's manifesto had proposed a charter of rights including 'the right to
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That the work done by the claimant is rated (by a job evaluation study) the same as that of the other employee.
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ICR 112 (C-127/92), defence through the 'state of the employment market' under the proportionality principle
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An Act to prevent discrimination, as regards terms and conditions of employment, between men and women.
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IRLR 822, contracting out, an associated employer and a 'single source' test under art 141 TEC
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That the work done by the claimant is the same, or broadly the same, as the other employee.
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Women and Equal Pay: The Effects of Legislation on Female Employment and Wages in Britain
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Gilbert, Kay. "Promises and practices: job evaluation and equal pay forty years on!."
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The Equal Pay Act was repealed but its substantive provisions were replicated in the
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of the United States. It has now been mostly superseded by part 5, chapter 3 of the
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AC 706, 'common terms and conditions' can include those under collective agreements
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Dickens L . "The road is long: thirty years of equality legislation in Britain,"
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if no evidence of discrimination is found, a pay disparity need not be justified
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ICR 515, terms and conditions must be 'substantially comparable' not identical
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For an employee to claim under this Act they must prove one of the following:
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1 WLR 1408, claimant must prove they are in like work to an actual comparator
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However, there was no immediate action by either government or unions.
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ICR 547 (C-43/75), the 'same establishment or service' definition
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Conley, Hazel. "Trade unions, equal pay and the law in the UK."
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AC 224, labour scarcity or geographical factors in the defence
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QB 852, work must be 'of the same or a broadly similar nature'
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IRLR 757, presumption of discrimination with a pay disparity
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ICR 1, personal factors in the material difference defence
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AC 894, equality clause implication under EqPA 1970 s 1
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AC 66, a 'token man' defence does not defeat a claim
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The Equal Pay Act 1970 (Amendment) Regulations 2003
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Treaty Establishing the European Economic Community
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London: Routledge and Kegan Paul. p. 74. 617:"Equality Act an important milestone says Unite" 410:North Cumbria Acute Hospitals NHS Trust v Potter 325:1 WLR 259, purpose of legislation not fair wages 298:Barber v Guardian Royal Exchange Assurance Group 701:The year book of social policy in Britain. 1979 548: 306:Hayward v Cammell Laird Shipbuilders Ltd (No 2) 919:Anti-discrimination law in the United Kingdom 827:Image of the Act on the Parliamentary website 575:Finding a role?: the United Kingdom 1970-1990 697: 426:Clay Cross (Quarry Services) Ltd v Fletcher 365:QB 180, a predecessor is a valid comparator 290:Allonby v Accrington and Rossendale College 402:Ratcliffe v North Yorkshire County Council 373:ICR 860, a successor is a valid comparator 655: 572: 793:British Journal of Industrial Relations 468:Surtees v Middlesbrough Borough Council 370:Diocese of Hallam Trustee v Connaughton 914:United Kingdom Acts of Parliament 1970 906: 756:: CS1 maint: archived copy as title ( 698:Brown, Muriel; Baldwin, Sally (1980). 322:Strathclyde Regional Council v Wallace 240: 434:Rainey v Greater Glasgow Health Board 160:Text of statute as originally enacted 934:Women's rights in the United Kingdom 816:(Cambridge University Press, 1985). 442:Enderby v Frenchay Health Authority 13: 268:In 1999, trades unions negotiated 216:1968 Ford sewing machinists strike 167:Revised text of statute as amended 14: 965: 820: 776:Economic and Industrial Democracy 557: 483:Birmingham City Council v Abdulla 450:Glasgow County Council v Marshall 394:Lawrence v Regent Office Care Ltd 623:. 1 October 2010. Archived from 496:UK employment discrimination law 386:British Coal Corporation v Smith 263: 180:Parliament of the United Kingdom 39:Parliament of the United Kingdom 32: 378:Leverton v Clwyd County Council 783:Cambridge Journal of Economics 718: 691: 673: 581: 566: 524: 413:IRLR 176, 'single source' test 1: 812:Zabalza A. and Z. Tzannatos. 768: 647:. 5 June 2006. Archived from 330:Shield v E Coomes Holding Ltd 944:Gender in the United Kingdom 800:Industrial Relations Journal 362:Macarthys Ltd v Smith (No 2) 7: 890:Sex Discrimination Act 1975 641:"Equal pay heroes honoured" 489: 455:Sex Discrimination Act 1975 10: 970: 939:Women's rights legislation 845:in 1997, is the basis for 202:'. September 1965 saw the 193: 178:(c. 41) was an act of the 18:United Kingdom legislation 924:United Kingdom labour law 165: 158: 151: 139: 134: 126: 116: 106: 101: 82: 68: 55: 45: 31: 26: 929:Equal pay for equal work 807:A Casebook on Labour Law 573:Harrison, Brian (2010). 517: 405:ICR 833, contracting out 354:Pickstone v Freemans plc 338:Capper Pass Ltd v Lawton 282: 200:equal pay for equal work 84:Territorial extent  954:1970 in women's history 949:1970 in labor relations 795:(2007) vol. 45, 463–94. 479:EWCA Civ 810, IRLR 690 471:EWCA Civ 885, IRLR 776 895:2 October 2008 at the 785:39.2 (2015): 381–403. 656:Hastings, Sue (2006). 847:Directives 2000/78/EC 802:43.2 (2012): 137–151. 778:35.2 (2014): 309–323. 542:The National Archives 501:Equal Pay Act of 1963 204:Trades Union Congress 184:Equal Pay Act of 1963 809:(Hart 2019) ch 1, 35 687:. 11 September 2015. 651:on 29 February 2012. 532:"Equal Pay Act 1970" 314:Home Office v Bailey 843:Treaty of Amsterdam 627:on 29 November 2010 507:Equal pay for women 453:ICR 196, under the 346:Eaton Ltd v Nuttall 274:industrial tribunal 241:Elements of a claim 23: 856:Equal Pay Act 1970 537:legislation.gov.uk 225:European Union law 176:Equal Pay Act 1970 22:Equal Pay Act 1970 21: 685:CVCE.EU by UNI.LU 418:Defrenne v Sabena 235:Equality Act 2010 188:Equality Act 2010 172: 171: 146:Equality Act 2010 135:Other legislation 91:England and Wales 27:Act of Parliament 961: 874:24 July 2012 at 762: 761: 755: 747: 745: 743: 737: 731:. 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Index

Parliament of the United Kingdom
Long title
Citation
1970
Barbara Castle
Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity
Royal assent
Commencement
Repealed by
Equality Act 2010
Text of statute as originally enacted
Revised text of statute as amended
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Equal Pay Act of 1963
Equality Act 2010
equal pay for equal work
Trades Union Congress
Brian Harrison
1968 Ford sewing machinists strike
European Union law
Equality Act 2010
Single Status
industrial tribunal
Allonby v Accrington and Rossendale College
Barber v Guardian Royal Exchange Assurance Group
Hayward v Cammell Laird Shipbuilders Ltd (No 2)
Home Office v Bailey
Strathclyde Regional Council v Wallace
Shield v E Coomes Holding Ltd
Capper Pass Ltd v Lawton

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