Search: Birmingham council equality
A city council is to appeal against an employment tribunal ruling that it discriminated against thousands of female workers over equal pay.
The tribunal's 160-page decision against Birmingham City Council, announced in April, was described by the GMB and Unison trade unions as a major test case which could cost the authority up to £30 million in compensation.
But the council has announced that it intends to appeal against elements of the tribunal's finding in favour of female workers, including cleaners and care assistants, who complained of being excluded from bonuses paid to men.
A Birmingham City Council spokesman said: "The recent tribunal case on equal pay, which found against the city council, related to historical bonus schemes which were abolished in 2007 when the council undertook a review of its terms and conditions.
"The judgment of this case found that the council has no genuine material factor defence for the schemes which were introduced in the 1970s but abolished as part of the review in 2007.
"An appeal in respect of the tribunal's decision has been lodged as there are some elements of the judgment that we feel are incorrect."
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The city council has already settled 11,000 equal pay cases and now has a revised pay and grading structure in place, the spokesman added.
Commenting on news of the appeal, Unison accused the city council of wasting taxpayers' money.
Unison's General Secretary, Dave Prentis, said: "Birmingham Employment Tribunal made it very clear that the council's defence was fatally flawed.
"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."
