What can be learnt from the Birmingham City Council equal pay case?

On 26 April 2010, in the case of Barker and others v Birmingham City Council (case ref ET 1305819/2006), more than 4,000 female workers employed by the council won their equal pay claim in an employment tribunal.

The women were employed in 49 different jobs, which included cleaners, cooks, care assistants and teaching assistants, and were on the same pay grade as men. They complained they were excluded from bonuses paid to men and that this could, in theory, lead to them being paid a quarter of what the men earned.