Last-ditch talks between the unions and the city council in Birmingham have staved off the threat of another mass walkout by staff.
Planned strikes by up to 20,000 employees were due to taken place on Tuesday (26 February).
It would have been the second day of action by the unions in protest at the planned introduction of a new pay and grading structure from 1 April.
The strike would have been a day before the city’s high-profile launch of a multimillion-pound redevelopment of its city centre with major national firms, in a bid to attract inward investment.
The unions claim the changes intended to bring about pay equality could see some staff lose up to half their pay. And 20,000 council employees walked out on 5 February in protest at the plans, forcing 120 schools and 22 libraries across the city to close. Further action has now been suspended after last-minute talks on Monday (25).
Unison’s West Midlands regional secretary, Valerie Broom, warned members would not be softening their stance. ‘Unison welcomes the opportunity to have meaningful negotiations on a future equality-proofed pay and grading structure for our members employed by the city council,’ she said.
‘It is important to note that the action has only been suspended, and should we fail to reach a satisfactory conclusion to this latest round of talks, we will not hesitate to resurrect appropriate industrial action.’
Negotiations between the unions (Unison, GMB and Unite (T&G)) and the council were expected to begin this week. A council spokesman said: ‘There will now follow two weeks of intensive talks which conclude on 12 March.’
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