Birmingham City Council has reached an agreement to settle thousands of historic equal pay claims costing millions, just over a year after effectively going bankrupt.
GMB Union, which brought the claims alongside Unison, said the agreement meant four years after launching its campaign, 6,000 low-paid, predominantly female workers should finally receive settlement payments from the local authority.
Payouts are expected to be up to four times higher than those offered to workers in 2021, with settlements expected to take place in the middle of 2025, the union said.
The Labour-run council declared itself effectively bankrupt in September last year after it was facing a £760m bill to settle the claims, but was earlier this year said to be on a “narrow path to financial sustainability” dependent on budget cuts.
This story is from the December 11, 2024 edition of The Independent.
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This story is from the December 11, 2024 edition of The Independent.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
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