Struggle for equal pay

Madam - In your editorial (May 8th) you refer to women teachers being paid 25 per cent less than their male colleagues up to …

Madam - In your editorial (May 8th) you refer to women teachers being paid 25 per cent less than their male colleagues up to 1976. It is only fair to point out that single men were also regarded as second-class citizens and paid on the lower scale.

In fact when the Government finally lost the battle with the European Commission, it tried to wriggle off the hook with another devious plan.

It was decided that by regarding married women as equal to married men and paying them accordingly, they could then get away discriminating against all singletons.

This was to be equality, Irish style!

READ MORE

Eventually the European Commission caught up with them and in 1977 insisted on pay parity all round.

It was a long, tough, mean fight and it's not over yet for many women.

As you rightly point out, some people remain more equal than others. - Yours, etc,

MARY O'MALLEY,

Woburn Ave,

Melbourn,

Bishopstown,

Cork.