A LEADING campaigner has hit out at pay gap of up to 10 per cent for some disabled council employees.

Councillor Jim MacLeod warned that an equality report had highlighted serious issues that must be addressed by Municipal Buildings bosses.

He is demanding to know what actions the council are going to put in place to address the pay gap.

It comes after a report prepared by officials revealed that only two per cent of Inverclyde Council staff have declared a disability.

Councillor MacLeod said: “What numbers of disabled council employees are affected by the pay gap? 

“Why is this and what is the council going to do to address it?

“The Disability Discrimination Act was passed in 1995.

“Tackling poverty and inequality, not only about disability, are big reasons why I entered politics, as well as independence of course. 

“Things like social justice, equality and fairness are so important to me.”

The disability pay gap is at its widest among teachers, with a number of probationary teachers – who are on a lower pay scale – declared as disabled.

The council has also recorded a four per cent gap among principal teachers in schools and say this is because there is a salary scale and employees progress over years to the highest level.

Director of human resources Steven McNab said: “It is clearly improving. The highest gap is among teachers. Their pay is set nationally by the government. 

“The disability gap is something that we will continue to look. However there has been an improvement since 2014/15.”

Mr McNab also indicated that they would look at ways they could make staff feel more comfortable with declaring their disability.