Bath and North East Somerset Council maintains that its proposed pay cut plan for some staff members aims to promote fairness, despite union concerns and skepticism.
The council’s employment committee will vote on May 14 regarding a new pay structure that could reduce salaries for certain IT workers. Separate plans involving potential pay cuts for employees in passenger transport and waste and recycling divisions will be addressed within the next three months.
According to the council, 62% of its 3,500 employees will receive pay increases. For the 106 staff whose roles face pay reductions, pay protection will be provided for three years, with the council stating that after this period, no individual is expected to suffer an overall pay decline.
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Council Chief Executive Will Godfrey emphasized the fairness aspect, saying, “Our staff deliver valuable services and these proposals are fundamentally about fairness. We have undertaken extensive consultation and negotiation with trade union representatives since August 2024.”
Godfrey also clarified that about 3% of staff will have their salaries protected for three years and confirmed that, for now, there will be no changes for drivers, loaders, recycling advisors, and passenger transport workers. “We will continue to work with these staff and trade unions to find the best way to implement our proposals,” he added.
However, Amy Rushton, Unison branch chair representing council workers, criticized the move: “It is astonishing that the council claims this is about ‘fairness’ when they are downgrading some of their lowest-paid workers. Despite pay protection, those affected will be worse off.”
While the immediate proposals impact 106 employees, an additional 245 workers in passenger transport and waste and recycling may face pay reductions when their cases are reviewed separately soon.
Rushton warned, “Up to 351 people—about one in ten workers—are at risk of being downgraded. Many have dedicated years of service to the council and their communities. The council’s ongoing consultation is unlikely to resolve these concerns satisfactorily. Without proper action, the council risks unequal pay claims.”
She advocated for equalizing pay by raising women’s salaries rather than lowering men’s, stating, “You don’t resolve gender pay parity issues by paying men less. You pay women more.”
The council’s pay restructuring is partly linked to recent in-house transfers of adult social care contracts, which brought a predominantly female workforce under council employment. The union highlights that proposed pay cuts mainly affect male-dominated departments, fueling equal pay concerns.
Toni Mayo, council social worker and Unison activist, reflected the union’s stance: “As a woman and a social worker, I don’t want equal pay addressed by men being paid less. We want women to be paid more.”
The council reassured that taking the national pay award into account will result in an increase exceeding six percent for some of the lowest-paid staff.