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Original poster

Birmingham City Council's equal pay dispute with female staff ends 13 years after a landmark court ruling

36 replies

IwantToRetire · 16/12/2025 19:30

Equal pay claim timeline

  • In 2012, 174 people who worked in traditionally-female roles won a ruling at the Supreme Court over the pay.
  • In 2021, the GMB urged members to lodge tribunal claims with the council and unions.
  • In 2023, the authority revealed it had to pay up to £760m to settle outstanding equal pay claims, relating to the previous under-payment of its female workers. It said that the pay dispute was a factor when it had to declare itself effectively bankrupt later that year.
  • The council and unions reached a framework agreement in December 2024 and on Wednesday, claimants received individual payout notifications under the final settlement phase.
... "The journey, although it's one that does make you feel angry, it's sort of what we've gone through together as a team of women that's really empowering," she said.

"It just feels like a sisterhood where we can openly now discuss things like this."

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c6233d12g8lo

A woman in a black puffa coat standing outside a sandstone building with ornate carving on some bricks and stone pillars. Behind her stand four people holding a banner and flags saying "Justice and Fighting for Equal Pay"

'Birmingham equal pay settlement a great day for women workers'

Payouts could total more than £250m after the city council's equal pay dispute came to an end.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c6233d12g8lo

OP posts:
Pearlstillsinging · 17/12/2025 01:18

doggiecats · 16/12/2025 21:47

So now all councils are going to go bust?

No, because most councils sorted it out years ago, as Birmingham should have done.

Original poster
IwantToRetire · 17/12/2025 01:13

Harassedevictee · 16/12/2025 22:14

Not necessarily. It all depends on what they did in relation to equal pay from the 1970s.

If they took action and addressed the issue then they don’t have an issue.

Show quote history

Exactly. I presume that this is why it has taken so long to work out how to pay the money the Council cheated from their female employees.

And hopefully will make other Coucils or bureacracy think twice about thinking they can get away with treating women like second class citizens.

OP posts:
JanesLittleGirl · 17/12/2025 00:01

Harassedevictee · 16/12/2025 23:54

Why not?

Show quote history

Cos the Binmen and Boilermakers said so.

Harassedevictee · 16/12/2025 23:54

doggiecats · 16/12/2025 23:29

A career and bin man isn't going to get paid the same?

Show quote history

Why not?

doggiecats · 16/12/2025 23:29

Harassedevictee · 16/12/2025 22:14

Not necessarily. It all depends on what they did in relation to equal pay from the 1970s.

If they took action and addressed the issue then they don’t have an issue.

Show quote history

A career and bin man isn't going to get paid the same?

Harassedevictee · 16/12/2025 22:14

doggiecats · 16/12/2025 21:47

So now all councils are going to go bust?

Not necessarily. It all depends on what they did in relation to equal pay from the 1970s.

If they took action and addressed the issue then they don’t have an issue.

doggiecats · 16/12/2025 21:47

So now all councils are going to go bust?

Original poster
IwantToRetire · 16/12/2025 21:27

Law firm Leigh Day & Co, which represented the 174 women, said that in 2007 and 2008 tens of thousands of pounds were paid to other female ex-employees of the council to compensate them.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-15935274

and then the win in 2012 https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-20294633

And as far as I can make out it has taken 13 years to agree how to actually pay the amount due following 2012 court case! (?)

Birmingham City Council building

Birmingham City Council ex-employees win equal pay case

The Court of Appeal backs an equal pay case brought by 174 female ex-employees of Birmingham City Council.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-15935274

OP posts:
Brefugee · 16/12/2025 21:25

When men complain to me about this, i say "well, the council decided to go with the level of men's pay. They could have said that they'd pay everyone the women's rates, right?"

and then they blether on about how the comparisons were done...

Original poster
IwantToRetire · 16/12/2025 21:21

Harassedevictee · 16/12/2025 20:23

Thank you for the timeline.

Honestly I thought this case, or a similar one with a different council, started much earlier e.g. 1970s or 1980s. I have often use the example of refuse workers jobs vs personal care jobs as a good example of where equal pay is likely to apply.

Part of the cost is the impact on pensions, it’s not just compensation for x years lower salary but on other benefits like pensions.

I think you are right, or rather I share the same memory.

I suspect this was the latest attempt to get an agreement.

OP posts:
Harassedevictee · 16/12/2025 20:23

Thank you for the timeline.

Honestly I thought this case, or a similar one with a different council, started much earlier e.g. 1970s or 1980s. I have often use the example of refuse workers jobs vs personal care jobs as a good example of where equal pay is likely to apply.

Part of the cost is the impact on pensions, it’s not just compensation for x years lower salary but on other benefits like pensions.

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