ℹ️ Background
GMB Union has advised the Council that there is an equal pay issue. This is due to our refuse workers, who are mostly male, working less hours but still being paid for a 36-hour week. This is known as task and finish and is common in the waste industry. Task and finish increases the hourly rate for waste workers, who are predominately men. The key issue here is that this arrangement is not open to other workers at the Council such as comparable predominately female work forces in care and education etc. This is why GMB have a potential sex discrimination and equal pay campaign for our members.
🤔 Who can apply for a claim
If you work in the council or in a school and are in Grade D to L in a female dominated section of the work force, then you may be able to apply for a claim. Please be aware that the higher your grade the lower the difference in pay is likely to be and hence the value of a claim. You will only have a claim if we can identify a male refuse worker with a higher hourly rate. We do not have sufficient details at this stage to be certain of the exact cut off point.
Only GMB members can submit a claim. If you are not a GMB member, please join us before submitting a claim.
Former council workers or retirees have up to 6 months to bring an Employment Tribunal claim.
🤷 Who cannot claim
People working at Academies, or Voluntary Aided schools or members on Grades below D and above L will not be able to claim, this is because, for an equal pay claim, you need to be able to compare yourself with a male refuse worker who was either graded the same as you or in a lower grade but on a higher rate of pay and there are no refuse workers below Grade D but earning more than grade L, and you also need to work for the local authority (or for a local authority school). Our current calculations lead us to believe that members above Grade L will be earning more than the refuse workers and will not have a claim.
🚹 If you are a man and want to make a claim
You need to be working in a female dominated job sector, within Grade D to L, and also receiving a lower hourly rate of pay due to task and finish than the male refuse workers. You will have to be able to make a comparison with a woman in the same job who has a successful equal pay claim. This is called a "piggyback" claim. These claims may take a little longer because they are more complicated.
👣 What happens next
We have raised a dispute with the council, and when we have received all the relevant information, your application for a claim will be assessed and if you have a viable claim, then it will lodged at the Employment Tribunal going forward.
⏰️ It takes time
If an Employment Tribunal claim is lodged on your behalf, please be aware that these claims take time, and if you are planning to leave working for the authority or school then please let us know. We also need to know about any promotions or changes to your job duties.
We will provide updates when we have them via email or meetings. So please ensure that all your relevant details are up to date, especially your address, email and phone number.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us:
📞 0151 727 0077 and press option 3 for Legal
📍 Join Our Equal Pay Drop-In Sessions
Got questions about your claim? Need help filling in the form? Come and speak to us in person — no appointment needed. Our team will be on hand to support you.
🗓️ Upcoming Drop-In Dates:
📅 6th November — 09:30–15:30📍 Various Workplaces & Schools
📅 11th November — 09:30–15:30📍 GMB Office, Tower Hill Primary Care Centre, Ebony Way, Kirkby, Liverpool L33 1XT
📅 19th November — 09:30–15:30📍 GMB Office, Tower Hill Primary Care Centre, Ebony Way, Kirkby, Liverpool L33 1XT
🗣️ Pop in for a chat, get support, and make sure your voice is heard. We’re here to help every step of the way.