Staff at 70 schools could walk out over equal pay

Around 1,500 school workers took part in the previous strike on May 14.

More schools could face disruption from strike action as a result of an ongoing dispute over equal pay.

Support staff at 70 schools in Birmingham could walk out in the coming weeks - doubling the amount of schools which took part in a strike earlier this month.

Workers including teaching assistants, catering staff and grounds maintenance workers will take part in a ballot run by union GMB.

The city council repeated its previous statement on the situation which said it had been engaging with GMB on matters of equal pay since November 2021.

Staff at 35 more schools will now be balloted on possible strike action.

The row relates to claims that workers in female-dominated areas of the council have historically been underpaid compared to colleagues in male-dominated areas.

Alice Reynolds, GMB Organiser, said: “It’s time for urgent action from council bosses to set out a clear timetable for settling these claims and ending the equal pay crisis.”

The council has budgeted £760m to deal with equal pay claims but this is considered a maximum potential liability and could be lower.

Work has begun on a new job evaluation process to help settle the equal pay issues by a targeted date of April 2025.

But that process has hit a stumbling block in recent weeks with disagreement over the council's ability to change the job descriptions of staff without consulting unions.

The city council said: "The council is keen to work together with GMB to explore solutions, as it remains committed to resolving historic equal pay issues and settling all legitimate claims from our employees."

Schools where GMB members are voting over taking part in strikes:

• Allens Croft Primary School

• Anderton Park Primary School

• Anglesey Primary School

• Beaufort School

• Beeches Infant School

• Bellfield Infant School (NC)

• Bellfield Junior School

• Blakesley Hall Primary School

• Boldmere Junior School

• Bordesley Green Girls' School & Sixth Form

• Broadmeadow Infant School

• Broadmeadow Junior School

• Calshot Primary School

• Colebourne Primary School

• Highfield Nursery School

• Holte School

• Ladypool Primary School

• Marsh Hill Primary School

• Nelson Junior and Infant School

• New Hall Primary

• New Oscott Primary School

• Regents Park Community Primary School

• Sladefield Infants

• Somerville Primary (NC) School

• Stechford Primary School

• Victoria School

• Ward End Primary School

• Water Mill Primary School

• Wattville Primary School

• Welford Primary School

• Weoley Castle Nursery School

• William Murdoch Primary School

• Woodgate Primary School

• Woodthorpe Junior and Infant School

• World's End Infant and Nursery School

Birmingham schools where GMB members took part in strike action on Tuesday May 14:

• Colmore junior school

• Minworth J & I school

• Colmore infant & nursery school

• Chad vale primary school

• Bordesley green east nursery school

• Hodge hill girls school

• Newtown nursery school

• Nelson Mandela school

• Jakeman nursery school

• Arden primary school

• St. Benedicts infants

• Yardley primary school

• Marsh hill nursery

• Forestdale primary school

• Kings heath primary school

• Lozells junior & infant school

• James watt primary

• Clifton primary school

• Worlds end junior school

• Cherry orchard primary school

• Bordesley green primary school

• Benson community school

• Wheelers lane primary

• Stanville primary school

• Beeches junior school

• St. James c e primary school Handsworth

• Redhill primary school

• Elms farm primary school

• Harborne primary school

• Gunter primary school

• George Dixon primary school

• Boldmere infants & nursery school

• Yorkmead junior & infants school

• Chilcote primary school

• Yardley Wood community primary school