Birmingham City Council workers to stage two-day strike over pay

Published by Jon Land for 24dash.com in Local Government

Birmingham is poised for two further days of strike action by city council employees, with no resolution in sight to a bitter dispute over pay.

Unison and the other trade unions representing the city’s local government workers have confirmed the mass walkouts will go ahead next week.

“Unfortunately we have been left with no option but to call two further strike days on 23 and 24 April,” said Unison regional secretary Valerie Broom.

Council workers will be protesting against the new pay and grading system imposed by Birmingham council at the beginning of the month, affecting 40,000 staff.

Unison has branded the structure 'discriminatory'. The union claims that alhough it was designed to end wage inequalities, some workers will lose up to half their pay.

Ms Broom stressed unions were not calling members out on strike lightly.

“This decision has been taken reluctantly but as the council has now imposed the structure there is little option.

“I would emphasise, however, that the unions are more than happy to continue with negotiations, providing they are meaningful.”

Around 20,000 council workers took part in the last strike, on February 5.

Birmingham City Council is governed by a coalition of the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats.

Conservative councillor Alan Rudge, cabinet member for equalities and human resources, said: "It's very sad and not justified at all why they are putting everyone through this inconvenience.

"To choose the timing of this nature one can only assume it's personal.

"They're not interested in the workforce or the people of Birmingham."

The chairman of the Liberal Democrat group John Hemming, who is also MP for Yardley, said the pay review was required by law.

He added: "The problem is we can't offer them a situation in which there are no losers."