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WALSALL MBC CONCEDE AT EMPLOYMENT TRIBUNAL THAT BONUSES PAID TO MALE
MANUAL WORKERS ARE DISCRIMINATORY AND CANNOCT BE JUSTIFIED.
15 June 2010
At the outset of an equal pay hearing at Birmingham Employment Tribunal today, Walsall Metropolitan
Borough Council conceded that bonuses of at least 74% of basic pay paid to male manual workers for many years cannot be justified.
The
claims by 81 low paid members supported by the GMB have been ongoing since 2008 and until today the Council had been arguing
that the bonus payments were valid and justified.
The concession means that if the female equal pay Claimants are able to
demonstrate that their roles were rated as equivalent, or are of equal value to the male manual workers, they will receive
the same payments backdated to 2002. Because the Council has yet to introduce a fair pay and grading system under the 1997
Single Status agreement, it also means that the equal pay Claimants will get the bonus payments until a new pay & grading
system is introduced.
The payments could run into millions of pounds.
Stuart Richards, GMB Organiser,
commented, “This is another step forward in GMB’s
battle for equal pay. GMB have long challenged the discrimination in Walsall Council’s pay, but despite the Council
being aware of the issue, their reluctance to deal with this has forced us to take action. Our Members deserve equality and
GMB will keep on fighting until we achieve this.”
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Contact: Stuart Richards, GMB Officer on 07957 265774 or Samantha
Jones, Media/Research Administrator on 0121 550 4888.
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