GMB union responds to Birmingham budget proposals

GMB Union has today responded to budget plans announced by Birmingham City Counci

GMB Union has today responded to budget plans announced by Birmingham City Council.

The reaction comes as Council bosses begin a budget process due to conclude in mid-March.

GMB union members at the authority are currently balloting for strike action over the Council’s inaction on resolving the city’s equal pay crisis.

Racheal Fagan, GMB Organiser, said:

“Birmingham City Council seem to have a plan for slashing local services, but they don’t yet have a plan for settling equal pay.

“City Council bosses are at pains to stress they need to find budget savings to settle historic equal pay claims, yet not a single penny of the wages stolen from working women has been returned.

“We need to see urgent central Government intervention on the equal pay crisis but instead, they’re trying to pass the cost onto ordinary Brummies.

“The UK Government has continually dismissed this as a local issue for Birmingham, but with more councils across the country facing the crisis of rising equal pay debts and shrinking budgets, that position just isn’t sustainable.

“Without central government intervention, the disastrous budget inflicted on our city today could become a tragically familiar story across the country, with ordinary people paying the price for political failures."