Birmingham City Council could be forced to axe hundreds of jobs as the struggling local authority attempts to balance its books.
The local authority, which was forced to declare effective bankruptcy last September, is considering cutting up to 600 posts to help it plug a £300m budget gap.
A council spokesperson acknowledged that the news would be ‘unsettling’ and stressed the move was still subject to consultation.
‘We will now start formal consultation with our corporate trade union representatives and follow these with directorate collective consultation meetings. These consultation meetings with trade unions will continue to take place regularly,’ the spokesperson said.
Delcan Downes, GMB Organiser, said: 'GMB has been calling on Birmingham City bosses to come clean on their plan for months. Birmingham is already to cut to the bone after years of Government austerity and cuts to vital local services.
'Cuts to jobs will see massive impact on vital local services. This is nowhere more so than in services dominated by the same women worker’s the council has discriminated against for decades.
'After decades of ignoring rampant pay discrimination, this is a crisis of the council’s own making. Our union won’t stand by as working Brummies’ are expected to pay the price.'
