FEMALE council cleaners who say they are paid less than male colleagues have vowed to fight on after losing their legal battle.

They are backed by their union and if successful, would open the doors for as many as 400 cleaners to get a massive half-a-million-pound payout in back pay.

Cleaning supervisor Jacqueline Cutting, of Lewes, and cleaner Michelle Frost, of Western Road, Lewes, had their case against East Sussex County Council and cleaning contractors Trident Services scrapped at an industrial tribunal.

The two women, being used as test cases by public services union Unison on behalf of hundreds of cleaners, argued they were unfairly being paid less than workers who have other jobs but are on the same grade.

But the tribunal decided there was no case to answer.

The panel decided that legally their pay packets did not have to be equal to those received by colleagues graded the same but in other jobs.

Jacqueline Cutting, of Lewes, was in charge of 17 cleaners as a site supervisor at council buildings. She was paid less than colleagues in largely male-dominated jobs of the same grade such as car park attendants.

And Michelle Frost, of Western Road, Lewes, was also paid less than colleagues in other male-dominated jobs of the same grade such as road workers. She cleaned at school buildings and also the council's HQ at County Hall.

Both women still carry out cleaning work for the council but with a different contractor under a different pay scheme.

Tony Preese, of Unison, represented both women at the tribunal.

He said: "The fact still remains that these women were not being paid fairly and we will definitely be appealing against the decision."

Aspokeswoman for East Sussex County council said: "The county council has always maintained there was no case to answer in these circumstances and we are pleased to see the tribunal agreed with us."

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