Almost 1,500 school workers set to strike amid equal pay claims

The GMB union has announced that support staff in 35 Birmingham schools are set to strike in the next few weeks.

The strike will coincide with SATS exam weeks and is scheduled for Tuesday, May 14th.

Up to 1,500 workers from these schools are expected to participate in the strike action, including teaching assistants, catering staff, and grounds maintenance workers.

The decision to strike comes amid criticism aimed at Birmingham City Council bosses for their delays in addressing equal pay claims filed by female workers at the authority.

Talks to settle these claims have stalled, prompting the authority to return to court this week.

Alice Reynolds, GMB Organiser, said: “Birmingham’s equal pay crisis only ends when council bosses hand back the wages they have stolen from women workers. Birmingham City Council has been stealing wages from these workers for years and now they’re refusing to pay it back.

“Without Teaching Assistants and school support workers, these schools cannot run. Taking strike action is always a last resort, but these workers have had enough of council delays and broken promises”.