22/08/2024 | Press release | Archived content
Second wave of Birmingham Equal Pay school strikes could be imminent.
GMB union has today announced that fifteen additional Birmingham City Council schools are set to vote on joining industrial action, following the Council's ongoing failure to resolve the City's equal pay crisis.
The escalation comes after support staff in thirty five schools across the city downed tools and took strike action earlier this year.
Council bosses are facing criticism for the lack of meaningful progress towards a resolution. This week a body of accountants and researchers have called for an independent inquiry into the Council's issuing of two Section 114 Notices, effectively declaring itself bankrupt.
Over 250 school workers will take part in the new ballot which would bring the total number of Birmingham schools facing strike action to fifty. Balloting will begin today [Thursday 22 August] with a result expected mid-September.
Alice Reynolds, GMB Regional Organiser, said:
"Birmingham City Council has serious questions to answer.
"Instead of addressing the underpayment of women delivering essential services for the city, the Council's actions have only deepened the crisis.
"Now we're seeing reports that cuts vital services, which they blamed on the growing equal pay liability, could have been avoided - protecting jobs and services that our communities depend upon.
"GMB won't accept the council ducking responsibility for their catastrophic failings and pinning the blame on their hardworking staff.
"With workers at fifteen more schools now balloting for strike action, it's time the council got serious about ending the chaos and settling up."
The fifteen additional schools involved in the new strike ballot:
Anglesey primary school
Beeches infant school
Bellfield infant school
Bellfield junior school
Boldmere junior school
Broadmeadow infants school
Calshot primary school
Highfield nursery school
Ladypool primary school
Marsh hill primary school
Nelson junior & infant school
New hall primary school
New Oscott primary school
Woodgate primary school
Woodthorpe J & I school