TRINITY College, Dublin could face a bill of £360,000 in back money to 186 part time women cleaners following a decision by an equality officer that the cleaners suffered discrimination.
The women work about 27 hours a week, doing similar work to four full time male employees of the college. The men have a 13 point pay scale but the women, regardless of their years of service, are all on the bottom grade.
The difference in pay between the two groups is £13 a week, or 34p an hour. The equality officer who heard the case, Ms Geraldine Coyle, has ruled that the women are doing similar work to the men and should receive equal pay, including the full range of increments available.
She has made the award retrospective for three years, the longest period possible in an equal pay case. As the claim was lodged in January 1996, this would entitle the women to four years' back money.
SIPTU branch secretary Mr John Swift welcomed the outcome yesterday as "a very significant victory for a very low paid group of workers". He estimated the total value of the award at £90,000 a year.
The claim is part of a campaign by SIPTU to win more rights for part time staff in TCD, many of whom are women. Besides pay rates, the union is seeking full pension entitlements for part time employees.