87 High Court Claims Against Avery Homes
GMB Launches First 87 High Court Claims Against Avery Homes (Nelson) Ltd For Equal Pay For Women Members Employed In Care Homes In England
Paying women less than men in comparable roles is discrimination and against the law says GMB.
GMB has instructed Leigh Day to issue legal proceedings at the High Court today, Monday 21 March 2016, to win equal pay for 87 members employed by Avery Homes (Nelson) Ltd in female dominated, predominately caring roles. (See notes to editors for previous press release)
GMB consider that these members are employed to carry out equal work to that carried out by men employed by Avery whose terms and conditions are more favourable than those of these members.
Avery Homes run 45 care homes in Staffordshire (7), Northamptonshire (6), Birmingham (4), Kent (2), Nottingham (2), Surrey (2), West Yorkshire (2), Worcestershire (2) and one care home in each area of Cheshire, Coventry, Derby, Hampshire, Harrow, Hertfordshire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Manchester, Milton Keynes, North Yorkshire, Somerset, Stoke-on-Trent, Stratford-upon-Avon, Tyne & Wear, Warwickshire, Wiltshire and Wolverhampton. (See full list and addresses in notes to editors)
Chris Benson, acting for the GMB legal team, said "Female members of GMB working as carers for local authorities have secured equal pay with the support of their union. Many also received back pay as well as better terms and conditions going forward.
Those care staff compared themselves against jobs done by men such as caretakers and other male dominated roles.
Carers working for Avery believe they are also underpaid and with the assistance of GMB have issued claims to ensure they too receive equal pay. The claims, which go back up to 6 years, could see members recover thousands of pounds in back pay they have been denied.
GMB will also be working to negotiate better terms and conditions and hope Avery sit down and negotiate a proper wage for the female carers equal to that received by male caretakers who work in the same care homes.
The carers provide an invaluable service looking after vulnerable individuals who most need our support and assistance. It is only right those carrying out such work are properly rewarded and not underpaid because of their gender."
Justin Bowden, GMB national officer for the care sector, said "Avery Healthcare has 45 care homes and employs over 2,000 women as carers and in other vital frontline roles, yet chooses to pay them less than men it employs in comparable roles. That is discrimination and it is against the law.
Every one of the 2,000 women Avery Healthcare employs may have a claim for hundreds or thousands of pounds of compensation going back up to 6 years. GMB is appealing to all current and former employees of Avery to come forward so we can assess if they may be entitled to compensation."
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Contact: Justin Bowden 07710 631351 or GMB press office on 07970 863411 or 07739 182691
For information on High Court action contact Leigh Day: David Standard 07540 332717.
Notes to Editors
| 1 List of Avery Homes March 2016 | |
|---|---|
| North East | |
| Highcliffe Care Home | 9 Whitchurch Road Witherwack Sunderland SR5 5SX |
| North West | |
| Acacia Lodge | 90a Broadway New Moston M40 3WQ |
| Clayton Manor | Rood Hill Congleton Cheshire CW12 1YZ |
| Yorkshire & The Humber | |
| Aire View | 29 Broad Lane Kirkstall Leeds LS5 3ED |
| Amarna House | Rosetta Way York YO26 5RN |
| Grove Park | 100 Grove Lane Headingley Leeds LS6 2BG |
| East Midlands | |
| Acer Care Home | 172 Nottingham Road Nuthall Nottingham NG8 6AX |
| Alder House | 172A Nottingham Road Nuthall Nottingham BG8 6AX |
| Ashurst Mews (formerly Lucas Court) | Northampton Lane North Moulton Northampton NN3 7RQ |
| Cliftonville Care Home | Cliftonville Road Northampton NN1 5BE |
| Derby Heights | Rykneld Road Littleover Derby DE23 4BU |
| Dukes Court | 159 Northampton Road Wellingborough NN8 3PN |
| Glenmoor House | 25 Rockingham Road Corby Northamptonshire |
| Hinckley House | Tudor Road Hinckley LE10 OEH |
| Priory Court | Priory Road Stamford Lincolnshire PE9 2EU |
| Seagrave House | Occupation Road Corby Northamptonshire NN17 1EH |
| Spencer House | Cliftonville Road Northampton NN1 5BU |
| West Midlands | |
| Abbey Court | Heath Way Heath Hayes Cannock Staffs WS11 7AD |
| Acorn Lodge | 132 Coventry Rad Nuneaton Warwickshire CV10 7AD |
| Albion Court | Clinton Street Winson Green Birmingham B18 4BY |
| Alma Court | Heath Way Heath Hayes Cannock WS11 7AD |
| Aran Court | Braymoor Road Tile Cross Birmingham B33 OLT |
| Avalon Court Care Home | 1 Glendale Way Tile Hill Coventry CV4 9YQ |
| Avon Court | 23-34 Scholars Lane Stratford-upon-Avon CV37 6HE |
| Bowood Mews | Hewell Road Enfield Redditch Worcs. B97 6AT |
| Bowood Court | Hewell Road Enfield Redditch Worcs. B97 6AT |
| Clare Court | Clinton Street Winson Green Birmingham B18 4BJ |
| Crispin Court | 385a Stone Road Stafford ST16 1LD |
| Darwin Court Care Centre | Wissage Road Lichfield Staffordshire WS13 6SP |
| Hanford Court | Bankhouse Road Hanford Stoke-on-Trent ST4 8EN |
| Horse Fair | Horse Fair Rugeley WS15 2EL |
| Newcross | 378 Prestwood Road Wolverhampton WV11 1RH |
| Rowan Court | Silverdale Road Newcastle-under-Lyme Staffordshire |
| St. Giles | 122 Tile Cross Road Tile Cross Birmingham B33 OLT |
| Hempstalls Hall | Hempstalls lane Newcastle-Under-Lyme ST5 9NR |
| Merlin Court | The Common marlborough Wilts. SN8 1JR |
| Eastern | |
| Acacia Mews | St. Albans Road East Hatfield AL10 OFJ |
| London | |
| Birchwood Grange | 117 Preston Hill Harrow Middx |
| South East | |
| Adelaide Care Centre | 35 West Street Bexleyheath Kent DA7 4BE |
| Elvy Court | 200 London Road Sittingbourne Kent ME10 1QA |
| Lavender Lodge | 10 Bruntile Close Reading Road Farnborough Hants GU14 6PR |
| Oban House | 42-46 Bramley Hill South Croydon Surrey CR2 6NS |
| Silvermere | Redhill Road Cobham KT11 1EF |
| Milton Court | Tunbridge Grove Kents Hill Milton Keynes MK7 6JD |
| South West | |
| Acer House | 141b Milton Road Weston-Super-Mare Somerset BS22 8AA |
Avery Care Homes Equal Pay Legal Action
Wednesday, December 2, 2015
GMB Instruct Lawyers To Begin Legal Action For Equal Pay For Women Members Employed By Avery Health Care In 15 Care Homes In England
The level of discrimination by the Avery Healthcare Group is quite breath-taking and we intend to seek compensation of six year’s back-pay for these members in the High Court says GMB.
GMB has instructed Leigh Day to begin legal proceedings to win equal pay for 62 members employed by Avery Healthcare Limited in female dominated predominately caring roles.
GMB consider that these members are employed to carry out equal work to that carried out by men employed by Avery whose terms and conditions are more favourable than those of these members.
Avery Homes run 15 care homes in Cheshire, Hampshire, Kent (2), London, Lincolnshire, Northamptonshire (2), North Yorkshire, Shropshire, Staffordshire, Surrey, Wiltshire and Worcestershire (2). See list in notes to editors
Chris Benson, a partner at the law firm Leigh Day the UK’s leading employment firm advising claimants and trade unions on Equal Pay, said "Despite our extensive experience in the field of equal pay we were shocked to see the inequality between female carers and male staff undertaking work of equal value within care homes run by Avery.
Within days of speaking to the GMB, Leigh Day now represent over 60 carers with the final number possibly in excess of a 1000 claims as the full scale of the unlawful payments offered to carers becomes clear.
While it is recognised in some sectors that women are undervalued and underpaid I did not expect to see this happen in care homes.
These women carry out the most important role in this organisation, caring for vulnerable residents. Time and again it has been shown that care staff perform a difficult job under a lot of pressure to ensure the best possible care is provided. The fact that Avery should pay these female staff members less than jobs predominantly done by men is astonishing.”
Justin Bowden, GMB national officer for the care sector, said "Paying somebody less for the job they do because they are a woman was outlawed in Britain in 1970, yet incredibly - some 45 years after the Equal Pay Act was passed - Avery Healthcare are paying female carers and other vital frontline staff they employ hundreds of pounds a year less than males in equal occupations.
The level of sex discrimination displayed by the Avery Healthcare Group towards these women they employ is breath-taking. GMB intends to seek compensation of six years back-pay for these members in the High Court."
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