Outstanding in Scotland

Whilst the Samira Ahmed v The BBC employment tribunal was coming to close in London, the BBC's boss in Scotland, Donalda MacKinnon was facing the Scottish Parliament's Culture Committee in Edinburgh.  Donalda is the author of "Making the BBC a Great Workplace for Women", published in July 2018. So equal pay came up first.

Ms MacKinnon said at last year's session with the Committee there were still 12 equal pay cases outstanding in Scotland “We have been dealing with these equal pay cases and many other pay inquiries over the course of the last two years. In this last year I have to admit the process has taken too long, I think it has been a bruising experience for those who have been involved in it, who have raised queries about their pay, and I thoroughly regret that."

“We are doing our best to deal with these cases, to examine them thoroughly, that can take time because you can be dealing with some pay cases that go back decades. But I do think we are intent on fixing this situation, it is not good enough, it is one I personally wish we didn’t have.”

Glyn Isherwood, group finance and operations director, said 'a handful' of these cases were outstanding, but wouldn't give an exact number, because that might identify individuals. He said some required "deep HR archaeology", the services of newly-acquired 'hearing managers', and the advice of lawyers from Croner. He couldn't say how much Croner were being paid, and he couldn't answer a question about the male/female balance of 'red-circled' staff - those being paid above their new grades, with frozen salaries awaiting pay inflation catch-up.