WOMEN working for Sheffield City Council are being paid up to £11,000 a year less than their male equivalents, general union GMB says.

The union launched an equal pay campaign today on behalf of thousands of female council workers that could cost the council hundreds of millions of pounds.

The campaign was launched at Sheffield’s iconic Women of Steel statue in the city centre.

The council employs more than 8,000 workers, of which almost 5,000 are women.

GMB said its research showed that the council routinely discriminates against roles extensively taken by women such as cleaning, caring, or housing allocation.

It said a council job allocation scheme “actively discriminates against its female workforce and opens up thousands of potential equal pay claims.”

GMB senior organiser Sue Wood said: “What we have uncovered in Sheffield is truly scandalous.

"We are determined that this injustice must end and call upon the town hall to step up, commit to ending this blatant discrimination and scrap this unfair scheme.”

GMB’s equal pay campaign targeting local authorities has left Birmingham Council with a £780 million bill that is expected to rise to £1 billion.

Birmingham’s mishandling of the claim has been blamed in part for its financial problems; but the council, along with others in England, has suffered a 60 per cent loss of government funding thanks to Tory cuts.

Councillor Fran Belbin, deputy leader of Sheffield City Council, said the council has worked with unions to ensure jobs have been fairly graded.

After meeting with GMB Union representatives along with leader of Sheffield City Council Tom Hunt earlier this afternoon, she said: “The conversation was positive and constructive. We are now waiting for GMB to share with us full details of their concerns.

“Once we have had the chance to fully review the information, we will consider the most appropriate steps and engage in further conversations with staff and unions.”