Female cleaners, dinner ladies and caretakers are making pay claims

Middlesbrough and Redcar and Cleveland Councils are at the Court of Appeal, after employment tribunals ruled they had discriminated against women staff.

The case directly affects about 1,200 workers from both councils, but lawyers claim the outcome will impact on thousands of other public sector staff.

The case is being heard by a panel of three judges and is due to last a week.

Workers involved include cleaners, catering staff, school crossing wardens and carers.

'Fair system'

The appeal comes as calls are made to scrap current equal pay legislation.

Trevor Phillips, chairman of the Equality and Human Rights Commission, said the Equal Pay Act, introduced almost 40 years ago, had reached its "sell-by date".

Redcar and Cleveland Council's cabinet member for corporate resources, Peter Scott, said: "We were one of the very first local authorities in England to put right the years of inequality in pay by introducing a fair system of job evaluation.

"The court will hear several legal and technical arguments and the judge's decision will set down a precedent that will be of assistance to local authorities across the country who have been awaiting the result of this test case."

Linda Maughan, director of human resources for Middlesbrough Council, added: "Settlements have been made to a number of actual or potential equal pay tribunal claimants, but some cases are still under consideration by the employment tribunals.

"The transition from one pay grading structure to another is never easy and altering relativities is bound to be disruptive."