Civil Service inequality back-pay

Mr Robinson said there should be equal pay for equal work

Low-paid civil servants may receive £100m in back-pay under plans by Finance Minister Peter Robinson.

He said he was prepared to deal with historic inequality in pay, affecting as many as 9,000 workers.

The problem dates back 38 years, during which historically 60% of Catholics and two-thirds of women were predominant in the lower pay scales.

He has told officials to look at the scope of the problem and engage with trade unions to resolve the issue.

Mr Robinson said there may be serious financial implications "but I am not prepared to follow the actions of people who preceded me and leave it unresolved".

"There should be equal pay for equal work of equal value."

Up to £20,000

The move will affect about 9,000 civil servants in the lowest grades, mostly in secretarial and administrative posts.

More than 60% of civil servants employed at the AA and AO grades are from a Catholic background.

Workers who have retired from the Civil Service in the past six years could be entitled to the back-pay, which could be up to £20,000.

The finance minister said the executive could either approach the Treasury or find the money from last year's underspend in Northern Ireland.

"Direct rule ministers did not want to touch this issue because of the enormous amount of calculations and difficulties," he said.

John Corey of public service union Nipsa said they had long-standing claims for equal pay, "particularly for our members in the lowest-paid grades".

He said the union had last year begun an industrial tribunal process to ensure his members received their legal rights under equal pay legislation.