UCC to appeal ‘equality’ payout to security staff

UNIVERSITY College Cork is going to the Supreme Court to avoid paying out over 1.7 million to male security staff who sought equal pay with female workers.

The university is already facing a multi-million budget shortfall because of cutbacks in Government funding despite its pay budget rising significantly to meet benchmarking increases.

The High Court last month upheld a Labour Court ruling that the 42 men were discriminated against on the grounds of sex, in what is believed to be the first such case taken under employment equality legislation.