More than £1 billion won for women in equal pay cases this year, union reveals

GMB said it ‘it should be a source of national shame’ that women have to make these claims

More than £1 billion has been secured by women workers this year following successful equal pay campaigns spearheaded by a prominent trade union.

The GMB union revealed that hundreds of thousands of women employed in council roles such as care, cleaning, and catering have historically faced lower grading or inferior terms and conditions compared to male-dominated positions such as refuse collection, despite the jobs being of equal value.

These payments represent money owed to thousands of individuals who were underpaid for years when compared with their male counterparts.

However, the fight for fair remuneration continues, with approximately 40,000 claims still outstanding across 28 local authorities, which the GMB estimates could amount to hundreds of millions of pounds.

A further 10,000 new claims are anticipated to be launched throughout the current year.

Rhea Wolfson, the GMB’s head of industrial relations, said: “Fifty years on from the Equal Pay Act, it should be a source of national shame we have to make these claims.

“But it’s amazing to know more than £1 billion will now be paid to the women who are owed it.

“Employers need to take note in 2026 – wherever GMB sees women being underpaid compared to men, in the public or private sector, we are coming for you.”