Terms and conditions of employment and sex discrimination

The striking of a deal by a trade union with a local authority as to terms and conditions of employment pursuant to a national collective agreement establishing a “single status” common pay and grading structure for all local authorities, which deal attempted to achieve compensation for some union members for past pay inequality as well as ongoing pay and employment protection for all members, was indirectly discriminatory since it constituted the application of a provision, criterion or practice which applied equally to men but was to the detriment of a considerably larger proportion of women than of men and since the means adopted by the union to persuade members to accept the deal, including mis-selling and manipulation, were not proportionate to the union’s legitimate aim of achieving single status with the minimum of losers.