Thousands of women are set to have their equal pay claims settled with the local authority after four years of campaigning.
Workers gathered outside Victoria Square, Birmingham City council’s headquarters, as the long awaited equal pay saga looks set to have reached its conclusion.
The agreement between Birmingham City Council, Unison and the GMB Union will see 6,000 low paid, predominantly women workers, finally receive settlement payments from the local authority.
While the details of the agreement are confidential, the council’s cabinet will be asked to formally approve it on 17 December with the settlement expected to take place in the middle of 2025.
The dispute relates to claims staff in female-dominated roles, such as teaching assistants, have historically been underpaid in relation to those in male-dominated positions.
Some staff have had to work double jobs and sacrifice pay for strike action, with the outcome now expected to be as much as four times higher than the payment that was offered to GMB Union on behalf of workers in 2021.
Clare Campbell, from Unison, said the settlement was a “good day for low-paid women”.
“They will at last get the pay justice they deserve. This will hopefully be the much-needed turning point for staff, services and local communities across the city,” she added.
Birmingham City Council previously reached an agreement in 2012 with 174 workers who won a Supreme Court ruling that staff unfairly missed out on bonuses that were given to staff in traditionally male-dominated roles.
The authority, which declared itself effectively bankrupt last year, has paid out almost £1.1bn in equal pay claims since 2012.
Councillor John Cotton, leader of the city council, said the agreement marked the end of “an intense period of dialogue” between the authority and its unions and it was “an important step on the council’s improvement journey”.
Rhea Wolfson, GMB’s Head of Industrial Relations, credited the campaigners “bravery on the picket line,” and “dedicated and tireless leadership”.
“The women of Birmingham City Council have delivered an historic outcome today. This result would not have happened without their dedicated and tireless leadership of a campaign which has overcome huge odds.
“They were told there wasn’t enough money, that they must accept that women workers are paid less. But they showed Council bosses that the show doesn’t go on without them.
“Their bravery on the picket line, in the classrooms, care homes, offices and workplaces across Birmingham has been staggering.
“This result today sends a clear message to employers across the country. Pay discrimination is rife and GMB will not turn a blind eye when women workers are being shortchanged,” she said.