Public sector union UNISON has called on Birmingham City Council to drop their appeal against the recent equal pay judgement by the Birmingham Employment Tribunal.
The union claims the council is wasting taxpayers money by fighting the equal pay ruling, which could cost the council up to £600m.
The tribunal, in April, ruled the council was wrong to exclude women working as cleaners and care assistants from bonuses paid to men working at a similar level.
UNISON general secretary Dave Prentis called on the council to pay up, and said: ‘Birmingham Employment Tribunal made it very clear that the Council’s defence was fatally flawed and that its pay structure is discriminatory.
'All UNISON has ever wanted is fair and equal pay for women workers in the city. Birmingham City Council should stop now, drop the appeal and pay these women what they are entitled to.’
The union’s regional head of local government, Tony Rabaiotti, said: ‘“Instead of wasting council taxpayers' valuable money on legal costs, this authority should pay the low paid women employed by the council the money they are owed.
’They’ve wasted millions of pounds in legal fees so far and seem intent on wasting even more. Given the cuts in public expenditure that are looming, it is money the council can ill afford to fritter away, yet they are clearly intent on doing so.’
