Time to make equal pay a reality for women

#STUC16 The STUC is calling for equal pay to be a manifesto commitment for all parties ahead of the Scottish election and for the establishment of an “Equal Pay Employer Scheme” to provide accreditation for equal pay employers. See all reports on the website

Supporting the University and College Union motion, UNISON’s Davena Rankin, who is also the Chair of the STUC Women’s Committee, told delegates that the pay gap is still very much alive today despite the 1970 Equal Pay Act.

UNISON calls for Robert Gordon University to remove Donald Trump's honorary degree

Date: Wednesday 9 December 2015

UNISON members working at Robert Gordon University have written to the Principal, Professor Prondzynski, calling on him to remove Donald Trump's honorary degree because he is reported to have called for "a total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States"  

UNISON believes this to be unacceptable.  

Colin Jones, Robert Gordon UNISON steward said: 

“Robert Gordon University has a strong international reputation and UNISON believes that our University's association with Donald Trump can only undermine all the hard work we have put into building this worldwide reputation.  

"We believe that the University must distance itself from such views and make it as clear as possible that such statements are both unacceptable and irresponsible. They are divisive and put Muslim friends, family and colleagues in danger of discrimination and reprisals, and will make international relations worse not better.  

END  

Notes:
UNISON is the largest trade union in Scotland. It is the public services union and it is the recognised union for professional and support staff at Robert Gordon University.

The Principal of Robert Gordon University is Professor Ferdinand Von Prondzynski. Robert Gordon University awarded Donald Trump his honorary degree in 2010.

Equality reps key to fairness at work and must have facility time

UNISON will put equalities at the heart of its bargaining agenda and will campaign with the TUC and through Labour Link for facility time for equality reps. Conference recognised that austerity has rolled back equality successes and significantly increased workplace inequality.

Supporting the motion on Friday on behalf of the NEC, Scotland’s Davena Rankin said, “Maya Angelou once said: ‘It is impossible to struggle for civil rights, equal rights for Blacks, without including whites. Because equal rights, fair play, justice, are all like the air: we all have it, or none of us have it. That is the truth of it.’”

Change society so women can live free from violence

#stuc15 Gender equality is at the root of violence against women and girls and the STUC will campaign to keep this issue at the heart of the agenda for all public bodies in Scotland. Delegates commended the Scottish Government’s “Equally Safe” strategy and the STUC pledged to lend its full support to groups campaigning to build a Scotland free from violence against women and girls.

Supporting the FBU motion, UNISON’s Helen Duddy told delegates that UNISON has campaigned against violence against women for many years, developing workplace policies to support women experiencing domestic abuse.

Call to challenge gender equality in apprenticeships

#stuc15 The STUC will press the Scottish government to work with them to tackle gender inequality in apprenticeships and to encourage women to take on apprenticeships in under-represented sectors.

Grahame Smith, STUC General Secretary also committed to taking up incidents of abuse in the apprenticeship sector in his capacity as a board member of Skills Development Scotland.

Seconding the motion from the STUC Youth Conference, James Corry, from UNISON’s Skills Development Scotland branch told Congress that careers’ staff have a key role in combating all types of inequality in apprenticeships, by helping young people to think through their options at an early stage.

STUC drive to improve equality

#stuc15 “Ensuring that an organisation reflects the community which it serves is clear proof of its commitment to equality and inclusion,” UNISON’s Priscilla Maramba told delegates, as they backed a CWU motion calling for a review of trade union activists and officials and action to ensure they are reflective of proportionality.

Priscilla added that the greater the equality of representation, the stronger, more organised and more inclusive unions will be. “It will also eliminate or reduce the “us” and “them” attitudes from those who feel unrepresented within the structures. In addition it’s the most sensible and right thing to do.”

Priscilla also welcomed proportionality for all elected positions as a method of increasing participation and representation. Policies and procedures, although good, were only a means to an end – “the end being when we start counting the actual numbers of disadvantaged groups within our structures.

“When the numbers begin to add up then we can say with a clear conscience that we are inclusive unions,” said Priscilla.

Only hope for BME workers lies in their unions

#stuc15 First time delegate and speaker, UNISON’s Priscilla Maramba, told Congress that ConDem austerity has worsened the plight of BME workers, and the rise of UKIP and media bias have added insult to injury.

“Equality for BME workers is slowly slipping down the slope and the only hope for BME workers lies in support from their unions.”

University review on diversity must be implemented

#stuc14 The STUC slammed the new Code of Governance from university chairs as a missed opportunity making very limited change, failing to address issues on senior managers’ pay, and failing to ensure representation on the governing bodies reflects the diversity of Scotland’s population.

This failure is due to a lack of proper consultation with staff, students and trade unions. Congress also re-iterated its opposition to undergraduate tuition fees, and rejects the rest of the UK tuition fees for students.

Going to @PrideGlasgow? Come and see us on the UNISON Scotland stall

#JoinUNISON

UNISON Scotland is proud to be at Pride Glasgow tomorrow, Saturday 10 August.

Come and see us on the stall and find out how we stand up for you at work.

We are also longstanding supporters of Glasgay! so see you there too. It's the 20th Anniversary 9 Oct - 9 Nov.

Find out more at www.unison-scotland.org.uk/lgbt

Have your say on the Scottish same-sex marriage bill

A message from the Equality Network: We are emailing trade unions and similar organisations in Scotland to urge you please to have your say on the Marriage and Civil Partnership (Scotland) Bill which is now in the Scottish Parliament. Please let the Parliament know your views on the bill – details on how to do that are below. The deadline is 23rd August.

Silent epidemic of discrimination against working mothers

UNISON is calling for “a cultural shift” to end discrimination against pregnant women and mothers returning to work.  The union, which has 1m women in membership, called it a disgrace that a new survey (see BBC report) has found that more than one in four mothers feel discriminated against.

This survey shows the slow rate of progress since 2005 when the Equal Opportunities Inquiry into Pregnancy Discrimination found that each year 45% of working women
experienced pregnancy discrimination.

Karen Jennings, Assistant General Secretary of UNISON, said:

“It is a disgrace that in 2013 women should still be missing out on promotion or treated as second class workers.

“This research shows that the Equality Act is failing working mothers as thousands of women continue to suffer in silence while bosses discriminate in the shadows.

“Many women feel pressured into returning to work before they are ready, to try and protect their position in the workplace.  This is a growing problem with employers targeting women returners for redundancy selection, despite the legislation.

“Unless there is a wholesale cultural shift across workplaces this silent epidemic is only going to get worse.  The introduction of tribunal fees is making it more difficult for women to challenge discrimination by employers, coupled with rampant cuts to employment rights.”

“UNISON is continuing its case for a Judicial Review into fees for employment tribunals and has also vowed to cover the cost for its members.”

ENDS


See this news release on the UK website

UNISON women's equal pay success making the news - and winning support

#JoinUNISON www.joinunison.org #equalpay

A strong editorial in today's Herald newspaper criticised Dumfries & Galloway council's "grudging statement" on UNISON's equal pay victory.

It said the council's apparent stance is exactly what led to the Equal Pay Act in the first place, following the 1968 case of the Ford women machinists.

The similarities with the Ford women in Dumfries led to a situation where "a nursery assistant could look out of the window at a groundsman mowing the grass and know he was entitled to extra benefits and pay while she was not. That could not be fair."

The editorial concludes that it would be entirely wrong for Scottish councils to "perpetuate inequalities that should have been erased from the workplace 40 years ago."

Here's a few more links to coverage of UNISON's historic Supreme Court equal pay victory.

Welcome for MSPs' call for statutory right to childcare

UNISON Equalities Officer Eileen Dinning today welcomed a report by MSPs calling for a timetable for a statutory right to childcare.

The Scottish Parliament's Equal Opportunities Committee said the move, along with more flexible working patterns, could transform women's access to work.

Eileen, chair of the STUC Women's Committee, said: "We welcome the committee's report as it reinforces our experience of the obstacles women face in the workplace.

"We have long argued for free and universal childcare and we hope this is the first step to achieving that goal."

End the forced destitution of asylum seekers and embrace immigration in Scotland

#stuc13 UNISON's John Stevenson slammed the Westminster Government’s rigid and unfair approach to immigration and called for a more humane and economically sensible approach in Scotland, to support a sustained economic recovery. Full story http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/stuc2013/20.html

Support for career progression for BME Community

#stuc13 Congress backed a range of measures to support the black and minority ethnic community in the workplace, in the face of continuing discrimination even in the 21st Century. This will include positive action programmes, targeted training and a sharing of good practice. Full story http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/stuc2013/17.html

Women and work – STUC demands good quality jobs, not zero hours and less pay

 

#stuc13 17 April 2013

 

UNISON's Equalities Officer Eileen Dinning, highlighted the pressures on women in the workforce in her speech to STUC Congress today.

 

Eileen, in her role as chair of the STUC Women's Committee, said: "Women are struggling under the Coalition Government’s austerity programme.

 

"According to the 2011 Workplace Employment Relations Study zero hours contracts are on the increase. Thousands more workers are now in jobs without any guarantee of regular hours or regular wages. More than half of these are women.

"Tackling child poverty means tackling women’s poverty. The STUC Women’s Committee will continue to argue for secure well paid employment for all.

"Women are present in increasing numbers in our conferences and in the trade union movement. We will speak up for them, and give them hope for the future.”

 

 

Her full speech is below.

 

 

 

 

 

 

CONFERENCE, THANKS FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS YOU ON BEHALF OF THE STUC WOMEN’S COMMITTEE.

I AM NOT SURE HOW MUCH HAS BEEN SAID TODAY ABOUT THATCHER.

BUT THERE WAS A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF DROSS SPOKEN LAST WEEK ABOUT HER.

THE NOTION SHE WAS A ROLE MODEL FOR WOMEN WAS DELUSIONAL.

SUCH A SUGGESTION IS DELUSIONAL.

SHE CREATED NO POSITIVE CHANGE FOR WOMEN.

SHE HAD THE ACCIDENT OF BEING BORN FEMALE – NOTHING MORE.

AS BEA CAMPBELL STATED.... "SHE HAS NOT FEMINISED POLITICS BUT HAS OFFERED FEMININE ENDORSEMENT FOR PATRIARCHAL POWER."

AND THOSE PATRIARCHS ARE CARRYING ON HER WORK WITH OBSCENE ENTHUSIASM.

IF SHE DID ANYTHING POSITIVE IT’S TO BE A CONSTANT REMINDER OF HOW IMPORTANT THE TU MOVEMENT IS TO WOMEN.

SCOTTISH TUC REPRESENTS OVER 300,000 TRADE UNION WOMEN IN SCOTLAND.

INCREASINGLY, WOMEN ARE THE MAJORITY IN MANY OF OUR AFFILIATES. IN SOME CASES 60 – 70%.

MAJORITY ARE LOW PAID.

MANY ARE STRUGGLING UNDER THIS GOVERNENT’S AUSTERITY PROGRAMME.

OR LET’S CALL IT WHAT IT REALLY IS – A DIRECT ATTACK ON THE POOR, A PROTECTION RACKET FOR THE RICH AND OUTRIGHT CONTEMPT FOR WORKING PEOPLE.

AND IF THE SCOTTISH GOVERNMENT WANT TO HELP MITIGATE THE WORST ASPECTS OF THE BEDROOM TAX, THEN MAKE THE CHANGES TO LEGISLATION THAT WILL PREVENT UNNECESSARY EVICTIONS THAT WILL DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACT ON WOMEN, CHILDREN AND THE DISABLED.

WITH THAT BEING THE BACKGROUND THE WOMEN’S COMMITTEE WORK PLAN FOR 2013 NEEDED TO REFLECT THESE CHALLENGES.

THE THEMES WITHIN WHICH THE COMMITTEE IS WORKING ARE:

ECONOMY AND EMPLOYMENT


INCREASING WOMEN’S REPRESENTATION AND PARTICIPATION


EDUCATION AND LIFELONG LEARNING


SOCIAL JUSTICE


HEALTH


COMBATING VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN AND CHILDREN


INTERNATIONAL ISSUES.

OUR PRIORITIES FOCUS ON:

ECONOMY AND EMPLOYMENT


INCREASING WOMEN’S REPRESENTATION AND PARTICIPATION

THAT DOESN’T MEAN THAT THE OTHER ISSUES ARE ANY LESS IMPORTANT BUT WE NEED TO BE CLEAR THAT WOMEN’S EMPLOYMENT IS CRUCIAL AND THAT WOMEN’S REPRESENTATION CAN PLAY A BIG PART IN MAKING THAT A REALITY.

LAST YEAR, AND WORKING WITH THE SCOTTISH GOVERNMENT, WE PARTICIPATED IN A SUCCESSFUL WOMEN’S EMPLOYMENT SUMMIT.

SOME OF THE PRIORITIES TO BE PROGRESSED TOGETHER FOLLOWING THE SUMMIT ARE:

STATE FUNDED CHILDCARE PROVISION, INCLUDING INVESTING IN THE WORKFORCE IN THE SECTOR;


CHALLENGING THE INCREASED CASUALISATION OF THE LABOUR MARKET;


EXPERIENCE AND CHALLENGES FOR WOMEN OVER 50 IN THE LABOUR MARKET;


AND PROMOTING EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR WOMEN IN ALL SECTORS.

ACCORDING TO 2011 WORKPLACE EMPLOYMENT RELATIONS STUDY, ZERO HOURS CONTRACT ARE ON THE RISE AND THIS FOLLOWS A SURGE IN THE NUMBER OF PUBLIC SECTOR SERVICES CONTRACTED OUT TO PRIVATE PROVIDERS.

FIGURES BY THE ONS FOUND THAT THE NUMBER OF WORKER IN JOBS WITHOUT ANY GUARANTEE OF REGULAR HOURS OR PAY REACHED 200,000 IN THE FINAL QUATER OF 2012 – 40,000 MORE THAN THE SAME QUARTER IN 2011.

A BREAKDOWN SHOWS 52% ARE WOMEN AND 48% ARE MEN.

THAT IS WHY IT IS ESSENTIAL THAT THE SCOTTISH GOVERNMENT ENSURES THAT THE PROCUREMENT REFORM BILL SHOULD BE USED TO PROMOTE :-

LABOUR RIGHTS AND WORKFORCE PROTECTIONS


A POSITIVE EMPLOYMENT AGENDA


THE SCOTTISH LIVING WAGE - BOTH FOR DIRECTLY EMPLOYED STAFF AND FOR

EMPLOYEES WORKING FOR CONTRACTORS

IN RESPECT OF INCREASING WOMEN’S PARTICIPATION IN PUBLIC LIFE, WE ARE PUTTING THE 50/50 CAMPAIGN BACK ON THE AGENDA THROUGH BUILDING LINKS WITH PARLIAMENTARIANS, WOMEN’S ORGANISATIONS, AND SCOTTISH CIVIC SOCIETY, IN PARTICULAR CAMPAIGNING FOR INCLUSION OF COMMITMENTS ON WOMEN’S REPRESENTATION DURING THE DEBATE ON CONSTITUTIONAL CHANGE.

OUR OTHER PRIORITIES – WHICH ARE INEXTRICABLY LINKED TO WOMEN’S EMPLOYMENT AND PUBLIC LIFE – WE ARE PURSUING THE GOAL OF FREE SCHOOL MEALS; WORKING TO ENSURE THAT WOMEN IN RURAL AREAS FEEL SUPPORTED AND CONTINUING TO GIVE PRIORITY TO THE CAMPAIGN OF COMBATTING VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN.

LAST MONTH WE ATTENDED THE SCOTTISH WOMEN’S CONVENTION’S INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY EVENT IN THE SCOTTISH PARLIAMENT.

THE THEME WAS WOMEN OF INFLUENCE.

WE LISTENED TO WOMEN POLITICIANS FROM MOST POLITICAL PARTIES HIGHLIGHTING THE VERY ISSUES WE SPEAK ABOUT EVERY YEAR.

CHILDCARE,


LIVING WAGE,


FLEXIBLE WORKING,


EQUAL PAY.

　

WE MADE THE POINT THAT YOU CANNOT INFLUENCE IF YOU DON’T HAVE FINANCIAL CLOUT.

WE TOLD THEM – YOU WANT EQUAL PAY ?

TELL PUBLIC AUTHORITIES TO STOP FIGHTING CLAIMS AND TRYING TO DEFEND THE INDEFENSIBLE.

　

WE ALSO TOLD THEM – IF YOU DON’T DEAL WITH WOMEN’S POVERTY – YOU WON’T DEAL WITH CHILD POVERTY.

CONGRESS, WE ARE WITNESSING AN INCREASINGLY FEMALE TRADE UNION MOVEMENT.

WE NEED TO RESPOND TO THAT AND GIVE WOMEN HOPE AND RAISE THEIR EXPECTATIONS.

THAT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE WHOLE TRADE UNION MOVEMENT.

TWO YEARS AGO THE STUC WOMEN’S COMMITTEE MEMBERS, PAST AND PRESENT, EMBARKED ON A PROJECT TO CELEBRATE AND HIGHLIGHT THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF WOMEN IN THE TRADE UNION MOVEMENT.

THAT ACTIVITY AND THE CONTRIBUTION MADE BY THESE WOMEN HAS LED TO CHANGES IN THE WAY SCOTLAND IS GOVERNED.

IT WAS NEVER INTENDED TO BE A GLOSSY PUBLICATION THAT WOULD GATHER DUST.

RATHER, IT WILL BE A CAMPAIGNING AND EDUCATIONAL RESOURCE THAT WILL HOPEFULLY INSPIRE OTHER WOMEN TO RECORD THEIR OWN CONTRIBUTION.

I WANT TO THANK THE WOMEN WHO GAVE UP SO MUCH OF THEIR TIME TO MAKE THIS BOOK A REALITY.

SO I HOPE YOU’LL MAKE SURE YOU HAVE A COPY OF OUR BOOK ‘INSPIRING WOMEN’ BEFORE CONFERENCE FINISHES TOMORROW.

　

FINALLY, AS CHAIR OF THE WOMEN’S COMMITTEE, I WANT TO THANK ANN HENDERSON, OUR SECRETARY, AND THE STAFF AT THE STUC, WHO GO MORE THAN THE EXTRA MILE FOR US, AS WELL THE REST OF THE COMMITTEE FOR THEIR SUPPORT AND ADVICE.

　

CONFERENCE, I HOPE THE REMAINDER OF YOUR SESSIONS ARE SUCCESSFUL AND I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU ALL THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.

THANK YOU.

　

　

.

 

Workers must be central in public service reform, not treated as puppets or pawns

27 March 2013

UNISON will today (Wed) tell a committee of MSPs that redesigns of public services must not treat workers as pawns to be moved around recklessly, ignoring best practice lessons.

The public service union has warned the Scottish Parliament’s Local Government and Regeneration Committee that new ways of delivering services must operate from a proper framework to deal consistently with staffing issues.

Dave Watson, UNISON Scotland’s Head of Bargaining and Campaigns, will tell members that workforce issues are too often neglected when planning reforms such as integrating adult health and social care.

He said in advance of giving oral evidence: "Consultation papers and legislation frequently give the impression the workforce is an afterthought. So we get last minute scrambled together agreements on important issues around staff transfer, pensions, secondment and so on, with no consistency or learning from best practice.

"It is just wrong to treat staff in this way, like puppets or pawns who can be moved around with no rules for how their rights and conditions are transferred and protected.

"Given that most public services rely on people, not machines, this is an extraordinary omission."

He urged the Committee to recommend that the Scottish Government sets in place a broad staffing framework based on best practice.

This would cover a range of key issues including: staff transfer, pensions, secondment, training and development, equality duties, governance and procurement - covering the protections that should prevent setting up a two tier workforce when services are contracted out.

Dave added: "We also want the Scottish Government to take on board one of the key recommendations from the Christie Commission.

"Redesigns of services must be based on genuine engagement with staff and users from the bottom up. It should not be about expensive management consultants imposing solutions from the top down."

ENDS

　

Notes to editors:

UNISON is Scotland’s largest trade union representing 160,000 members working in the public sector in Scotland.

Our evidence to the Local Government and Regeneration Committee is online at

http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/response/PublicSectorReform_NewWaysofDeliveringServices_ResponsetoSPLocalGovtCttee_Jan2013.pdf

　

　.

　

　

#IWDjoinaunion STUC: A woman’s place is in her union

8 March 2013

To mark International Women’s Day, the Scottish Trades Union Congress (STUC) is calling on all its affiliated unions to highlight the work that they do to protect women’s rights in the workplace.

Women are facing changes in equality laws, pregnancy discrimination, reduced hours, and losses of childcare services in every local area. Applications for flexible working are not being considered, provisions for good health and safety at work are under-resourced, and training and education opportunities have been reduced.

Agnes Tolmie UNITE, STUC President, said

‘Trade unions have an essential role to play in speaking up for, and negotiating on behalf of, women at work.

Problems that appear to be individual can often be resolved through collective bargaining.

Our shop stewards and workplace reps bring a wealth of experience and speak up daily for women’s rights.

Our message for International Women’s Day is ‘A woman’s place is in her union’ and we look forward to working alongside all those who are committed to the fight for equality’

.

Hugo Chavez is mourned in Scotland as well as Venezuela - SVSC

6 March 2013

Scottish Venezuela Solidarity Campaign News release - circulated by UNISON Scotland, which supports SVSC

People in Scotland with a commitment to social justice will mourn the death of Hugo Chavez says the Scottish Venezuela Solidarity Campaign.

Matthew Crighton, Secretary of the Scottish Venezuela Solidarity Campaign said today, “Chavez was a great leader for the people of Venezuela, with a practical commitment to improving the lives of its people and in particular the millions who had been left to a life of poverty by previous regimes.

"The sheer scope of the imaginative programmes he led forward is extraordinary - for universal healthcare, literacy, food sovereignty, land reform, electoral democracy, environmental protection, racial and gender equality, the rights of indigenous people and industrial democracy, for example.”

Matthew continued “To carry these forward he had to confront the malign influence which the USA had extended over the entire continent of South America and had instead forged an alliance for progress with neighbouring countries.

"No wonder this brought upon him the opprobrium of the USA government and its allies in this country. Instead of listening to the untruths they tried to spread about him, increasing numbers of people in Scotland have been looking to Chavez and Latin America for lessons to apply to their own predicaments.”

Some of these were heard at the Learning from Latin America conference SVSC held last December in Glasgow, at which Sandra Whyte MSP told us, as an observer of the 2012 Presidential elections, of the impeccable organisation, the very impressive turnout, and above all the massive enthusiasm in Venezuela for the re-election of Hugo Chavez – sadly the last of the many elections which he won democratically in the teeth of a local and international media dominated by his enemies.

In summing up Chavez, Matthew said “He was a great man and our thoughts and solidarity go out to his family and the people of Venezuela.”

Scottish Venezuela Solidarity Campaign

.

UNISON welcomes South Ayrshire equal pay settlement

Wed 23 Jan 2013

Local government union UNISON is today celebrating a historic equal pay settlement for hundreds of council staff in South Ayrshire. The deal finalised this week will be worth thousands of pounds for some of the lowest paid staff, mainly women, in manual, admin, clerical and support jobs.

Renee Gillan, UNISON South Ayrshire Branch Secretary, said:
 “We are absolutely delighted with this fantastic news for hundreds of workers who have faced pay discrimination for many years and who will now receive substantial compensation. This win will make a massive difference to everyone who has been involved in this campaign.” 

The South Ayrshire deal settles more than 500 claims which were lodged in 2006. These had been subject to legal challenge by the Council on a technicality which ultimately failed at the Court of Session. A planned appeal by the Council to the Supreme Court is being put on hold as part of the settlement deal.

Joe Lynch, Regional Organiser, said:
“UNISON is proud to stand up for the principle of ‘equal pay for work of equal value’. We have had to fight this through the courts - which has taken a long time - but today’s settlement means we have won on that principle.

“This victory shows once again that workers are stronger together in UNISON.”

ends

Notes for editors

1. UNISON is Scotland’s largest trade union representing 160,000 members working mainly in the public sector in Scotland and represents staff in all of Scotland’s local authorities. 

2. The equal pay claims were brought mainly by female staff who were claiming that their work was of equal value to male manual workers who received a bonus. The Council argued that the female employees had not complied with necessary procedural steps so the claims were invalid. The UNISON claimants won the point at the Employment Tribunal and the Court of Session. The Council had appealed to the Supreme Court, but that appeal will now be put on hold pending the settlement of the individual claims.

.