ALMOST 35 years after the principle of equal pay for work of equal value became law, more than 8,000 workers — mostly low-paid women — had to go the lengths of taking strike action against Glasgow City Council to actually make it a reality.

The workers were predominantly care employees, learning-support workers in schools, nursery staff, cleaners and catering workers. 

The strike in October was the biggest equal pay strike in the UK. This was a dispute that had been running for more than a decade and there had been many attempts — both through legal and industrial action — to resolve it. But that final push, with thousands taking strike action, was the key to securing a settlement. 

It led to a deal in which more than £500 million was set aside to cover compensation and back pay for all those years of unequal treatment.

I had the huge privilege of speaking at the strike rally (which had added resonance because it’s my home town) and the atmosphere was amazing. 

Dolly Parton’s 9 To 5 blasted out of speakers as around 10,000 strikers and supporters danced into George Square in front of Glasgow City Chambers. 

Of course, the undoubted stars were the strikers themselves. The organisers had insisted it was an all-female speaking list and one after another these women shared their incredible stories with the workers who had brought the city to a standstill. 

The knock-on effect was that others across Glasgow — not just those involved in the strike — had to take time off to look after children and dependent relatives. 

Yet the level of support was amazing. We heard story after story of local people, cafe owners and local businesses coming out to give hot drinks and bacon rolls to strikers on the picket lines. 

This was a strike that touched a collective nerve in the city because they recognised that this was a fundamental principle.

These were women who had battled for years for equal pay; who had never accepted the value placed on their jobs by a flawed job-evaluation scheme.

And it’s this issue which goes to the heart of the problem.

It’s no accident that so many jobs done by women are low paid. It’s precisely because as a society we don’t value the skills they have and bring to these essential jobs. It’s because job segregation is still a major issue. 

When someone drops their child off at a nursery or a childminder, then gets on a train or Tube for their commute to work, the person standing at the ticket barrier will almost certainly be earning significantly more than the person looking after their child.

At Unison, we’re working to not only increase pay, but to increase the value and respect for those jobs traditionally done by women. 

At the same time, we’re actively working to improve turnout in strike and consultative ballots to make sure employees can take effective strike action whenever they need to.

As a union representing in excess of a million women (four-fifths of our membership), the majority of our strikes have affected and involved women. 

For instance, we have our long-running care workers’ dispute in Birmingham, mainly over cuts in jobs and changes to working conditions.

One area in which Unison has been pushing hard is over the issue of ensuring care staff (mainly women) who have sleep-in shifts at care homes are paid at least the national minimum wage for every hour worked. 

Last year the union lost a case at the Court of Appeal over whether the overnight period counted as working time, but Unison has been granted permission to take the issue to the Supreme Court. It’s also fighting to stop some employers cutting sleep-in payments. 

In addition, there have been strikes by teaching assistants in Durham and Derby, plus disputes and strike ballots to defend pension schemes in universities. We have campaigned successfully to stop moves to transfer NHS staff to private companies and wholly owned subsidiaries. Each of these has affected mainly female workforces, who have mobilised to demonstrate their opposition.

Across the UK from schools to universities, from home care to hospitals, women are leading the way in fighting back. 

Christina McAnea is Unison assistant general secretary.