Equal Pay and Conditions
Key points § Article 141 (formerly Article 119) of the Treaty of Rome (which became part of the law of the United Kingdom on 1 January 1973) and EC Regulations and Directives made under that Treaty oblige each Member State of the European Community to 'ensure and maintain the application of the principle that men and women should receive equal pay for equal work'. As was pointed out by the Court of Appeal in Shields v Coombes (Holdings) Ltd [1978] ITR 473, European law takes precedence over UK legislation. In short, UK courts and tribunals must not follow domestic legislation if it conflicts with European law. Note The Treaty of Amsterdam with its consequent amendments to, and renumbering of, Articles in the Treaty of Rome, came into force on 1 May 1999. § In Great Britain, this principle is embodied in the Equal Pay Act 1970, as amended by the Equal Pay (Amendment) Regulations 1983, and the Sex Discrimination Act 1986. The purpose of the 1970 Act i...