GMB union have today called on Birmingham City Council to act urgently after the Council's Chief Executive announced the cost of settling claims against the pay discrimination.
Birmingham City Council has already had to pay out more than £1.1 billion in settling previous equal pay debts over the past decade, but today the council confessed that discriminatory pay practises are ongoing, and they have racked up a new liability that the council estimates to be between £650m and £760m.
GMB members at Birmingham City Council have been campaigning for equal pay since November 2021.
Based on the council’s estimate that their equal pay liability is growing between £5million and £14million per month, had the union’s claims been settled in November 2021, the council’s liability could be as much as £266 million lower.
Michelle McCrossen, GMB Organiser, said:
“GMB members in Birmingham City Council have been campaigning for equal pay for years, because we believed that the council’s pay scheme discriminates against its women workers. Today’s shocking confession from the council proves that we were right to do so.
“The council has fought our union every step of the way, defending their discriminatory pay scheme at tribunal hearings and refusing to release pay information.
“Now we can see why. The extent of the discrimination is far worse than anyone could have imagined, and it’s clear the council has learned nothing from their shameful history of undervaluing women’s work.
“Today’s explosive admission from the Chief Executive completely blows apart the Council’s legal defence, so it’s now time for them to get serious about meeting with GMB and repaying the wages stolen from their low paid women workers.
“GMB will continue to fight until our members get what they’re worth.”
.jpg?width=400&height=320)
