The decision by Bath and North East Somerset Council to freeze the pay of 106 employees under a new pay structure has prompted serious concerns over mental health impacts, according to trade union Unison. While the new pay system will provide raises for 62% of the council’s 3,500 staff, those in roles facing reductions will see their pay frozen for three years following national pay awards, adhering to the council’s pay protection policy.
This pay restructuring is part of the council’s “Being Our Best” (BOB) programme, aimed at modernizing compensation but causing consternation among affected workers. The council’s Unison branch expressed distress over how members facing pay freezes feel undervalued and ignored, especially during the council’s “values week,” intended to celebrate principles like boldness, empowerment, supportiveness, and transparency.
The pay changes were unanimously approved by the council’s employment committee on May 14. Council representatives highlighted efforts to support staff wellbeing throughout this transition, assuring access to resources and information for those impacted.
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Those experiencing pay freezes will maintain their current salaries for three years, with the potential for adjustments if upward salary trends exceed frozen pay levels. Despite this, the freeze effectively constitutes a pay reduction in real terms due to inflation. Furthermore, additional pay cuts may be imposed on 245 workers in passenger transport and waste and recycling departments in the coming months.
Unison and Unite unions organized protests at Bath Guildhall on May 22, expressing opposition alongside Labour, Green, and Independent councillors. Criticism has been directed at both the pay cuts and the use of the “BOB” acronym, which some find dismissive amid financial hardships.
The IT department is notably affected, with roughly one-third of staff facing pay cuts. Stuart Batson, the council’s IT service delivery manager, voiced concerns that diminishing pay devalues a critical service amid rising cybersecurity threats, warning such measures could jeopardize council operations.
Unison suggests the pay cuts may relate to avoiding equal pay claims following the in-house transfer of predominantly female adult social care workers, with reductions primarily impacting male-dominated departments. Social worker and union activist Toni Mayo emphasized the need for equitable pay that raises women’s wages rather than reducing men’s.
Despite controversies, Council Chief Executive Will Godfrey affirmed that all staff are valued, framing the new pay structure as a necessary step toward a fair, sustainable, and modern compensation framework fit for the council’s needs.