British council pays big for light work

BIRMINGHAM, England, Nov. 1 (UPI) -- City officials in Birmingham, England, may be swamped with applications for signal operatives -- light bulb changers -- especially if the pay is $174,000.

And that's even if you've been off work sick for the past 12 months, the London Mirror said.

Residents took the Birmingham City Council to task over the salary, standby pay and bonus paid to Ian Smith, whose job is to change street light bulbs, the Mirror said. Watchdog group Isitfair called the situation "absolutely horrendous."

Smith, who is employed as a street and traffic light engineer, also replaces and repairs faulty equipment, the Mirror said. Even though he is a member of a union, Smith's salary is paid by the council's Lighting Direct Labor Organization.

A council member involved with pay review said the pay structure was "unfair" and needed to be reviewed.