Sheffield City Council has reached a landmark equal pay agreement with the trade unions Unison, GMB and Unite, resolving long-standing pay disparities.
An in-depth review of every council role— including those in maintained schools— has identified around 3,600 employees in approximately 260 roles who will receive redress payments, at a cost to the council of about £36m.
For non-teaching staff in maintained schools an estimated 1,600 employees will benefit, with payments totalling around £15m.
The council said it will fund these payments through its reserves, avoiding extra increases in council tax or cuts in other services.
A new job evaluation scheme, expected to take around 18 months, will reassess all roles and aim to embed fairness and transparency into the grading system.
Cllr Tom Hunt, leader of Sheffield City Council, said: ‘This agreement is a recognition of the vital contribution made by our employees across the organisation and a commitment to ensuring that such disparities are never repeated.’
‘While this settlement addresses the past, it also marks the beginning of a new chapter,’ said a joint statement from the unions.
‘The council has committed to rebuilding its pay and grading systems to ensure they are transparent, robust, and aligned with best practice.’
