By David Siddall

Last updated 15:14, Wednesday, 19 March 2008

COPELAND MP Jamie Reed has called on Cumbria County Council to drop its legal fight against implementing the equal pay deal for the authority’s female workforce secured by the Unison trade union.

To date, it is estimated that the county council has spent approximately £1 million fighting against implementing an equal pay deal through the courts.

Mr Reed said: “I have asked the Secretary of State for Local Government if there is scope for the government to intervene in this matter.

“The county council has received its best-ever financial grant from government this year and has already been given the capability from government to meet the costs of the equal pay claim.

“The council taxpayer will not understand why the council is squandering public money fighting a legal battle which is not only immoral but against the fair play instincts of most Cumbrians.

“I have held regular meetings with female care home workers from my constituency who are being exploited by the county council. Out of an admirable sense of duty and professionalism, these women will not strike but the county council is taking advantage of their better nature.”

Conservative candidate and Copeland councillor Chris Whiteside agreed with Mr Reed’s sentiments and said: “This is the 21st century and we cannot justify not paying people fair and comparable rates for comparable work.

“Sooner or later this nettle will have to be grasped. If it had been done years ago, the cost to today’s taxpayers would have been much less both in terms of money and lost goodwill. By the same token the longer it is left the worse the eventual cost to future taxpayers will be.

“I hope both sides will make every effort to settle this out of court so that taxpayers money can be spent on paying workers and providing services and not on legal bills.”