Union launches mass equal pay legal action against Brighton and Hove City Council

The GMB claims female workers could be owed tens of millions of pounds

Author: Ryan BurrowsPublished 14th Aug 2024

A union has launched the first of 400 legal claims against Brighton and Hove City Council, claiming female workers are owed tens of millions of pounds.

Members of the GMB have accused the authority of offering workers in predominantly female job roles lower wages.

The claims are now lodged with ACAS, which prompts 6 weeks in which early conciliation can take place between the employer and the union to seek a resolution to the issues prior to Employment Tribunal claims being lodged.

The union has claimed it has yet to agree a meeting with the city council to discuss equal pay issues.

GMB senior organiser Lib Whitfield said:

“This sex discrimination in how the council pays its staff is serious, systemic and long-running.

"GMB members are leading the way in this battle against discrimination by Brighton and Hove City Council.

"GMB members are in a fight for pay justice and coming together and following GMB's advice to lodge legal claims. Credit goes to them for standing up for what they deserve.

"Workers in predominantly female roles have been historically underpaid and are owed millions. More claims will follow as more and more people join the campaign."

In a statement issued in response, Brighton and Hove City Council's chief executive Jess Gibbons has said the council is doing what it can to be a 'fair and inclusive employer'.

"As a council we will do all we can to make sure they continue to be treated with fairness and respect.

"If there are genuine equal pay claims we will address them. We did that with an equal pay settlement related to bank holiday working brought to us by UNISON and will do so again if necessary.

"We have always tried to retain positive working relations with both UNISON and GMB and to act promptly on any information provided to us by them.

"It is important to point out we have made multiple requests to GMB for information relating to the equal pay claims they are making which have been outlined in the media today. The council has not received any details from GMB.

"We will look at any information provided to us and continue to encourage our recognised unions to work with us at an early stage and provide any information they have to support us in proactively addressing any concerns over equal pay and any other workplace issues."

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