GMB welcomes important first step towards Birmingham pay justice

Today’s decision by councillors on a process for job evaluation is the first step on a journey to ending discrimination and delivering pay justice.

GMB Union, Birmingham’s largest staff union, has today welcomed Birmingham City Council’s agreement to a union-backed process for evaluating council workers’ jobs.

Almost two years since GMB sounded the alarm about ongoing discriminatory pay practises in Birmingham, today’s decision by a majority of the city’s Councillors will begin a process that should deliver an equality-proofed pay and grading structure across the council.

GMB members had set out 3 red lines for agreement on any job evaluation process – worker voice, transparency and equality-proofed.

GMB is the only union that has lodged legal claims against the authority to ensure members are protected, with more than 3,000 workers joining the legal action.

Michelle McCrossen, GMB Organiser, said:

“Today’s decision is an important first step to ending the sex discrimination faced by working women at Birmingham City Council.

“The agreement is clear that the council should not do anything that would undermine the mission of delivering an equality-proofed pay and grading structure, and we are committed to ending all ongoing discriminatory practises.

“The now agreed process delivers on GMB’s 3 red lines – worker voice, transparency and equality-proofed – and we will fight to ensure these principles are upheld throughout.

“Our campaign doesn’t end here. Hundreds of millions of pounds have been stolen from Birmingham’s women workers over years.

“With progress now made on ending the discrimination, it’s time to put that money where it should always have been – in the pockets of our hardworking members.”