Birmingham-style bin strikes threatened ‘up and down the country’

Birmingham-style bin strikes threatened ‘up and down the country’



Posted by theipaper

7 comments

  1. Refuse workers are poised to hold Birmingham-style bin strikes “up and down the country” as cash-strapped councils continue to make cuts, union leaders are warning ministers.

    Clare Keogh, national officer for local government at Unite, told *The i Paper* that members were angry at how the [dispute in the Midlands city](https://inews.co.uk/news/birmingham-bin-worker-strike-pay-cuts-3618972?ico=in-line_link) is playing out and that there is “massive potential this will escalate”.

    Around 400 workers at [Birmingham](https://inews.co.uk/topic/birmingham?srsltid=AfmBOoq09Pjo2406f4btJSgiKB7q6OPT8ygaODPeUKlMIKQOuxsLlOcV&ico=in-line_link) City Council have been on an all-out strike for more than a month in a row over pay and conditions.

    The authority has declared a major incident with at least [17,000 tonnes](https://inews.co.uk/news/how-birmingham-plans-remove-17000-tons-rubbish-major-incident-declared-3616106?srsltid=AfmBOorH2iNYgjp4POeqgHE-VsxrWJRKx4U9NhC_A4NsybsaBpmGYx9s&ico=in-line_link) of [rubbish lying uncollected on the streets](https://inews.co.uk/news/birmingham-street-rubbish-piles-high-one-side-3624229?ico=in-line_link).

    The crisis has led to a steep increase in rat infestations with one pest control boss telling *The i Paper* he is encountering [rodents as big as dogs](https://inews.co.uk/news/birmingham-busiest-rat-man-catching-rodents-size-of-dog-3617305?ico=in-line_link) and that he has never been busier.

    # Ballots for strikes in other areas being considered

    Now there are warnings that bin strikes could flare up in other areas. Another strike involving Unite refuse workers, which has led to recycling sites being closed, continues in [Sheffield](https://inews.co.uk/topic/sheffield?srsltid=AfmBOopcp7lYjdO_J1AW6vu1m4RVl7PnMltHzItbLfMthYSSjrggDhT_&ico=in-line_link) and Ms Keogh said more ballots for strike action in other areas were currently being considered.

    Meanwhile a second union representing bin collectors, the GMB, has also suggested strikes could be on the way. Refuse workers are among members to have voted in favour of industrial action in Peterborough, where a latest pay offer was rejected in February.

    “In Birmingham, and many other councils we’ve seen over the last few years, our members have been prepared to walk out saying ‘this just isn’t good enough and we’re not going to take any more cuts’,” Ms Keogh said.

  2. Labour being held hostage by their own voting base as usual.

    Appeasement to secure votes, same with rail unions.

  4. It is legally confirmed by the courts now that canteen staff are officially equivalent to bin men. So councils have plenty of workers they could reassign to this work.

  5. Wonder where they could find 5 billion to increase wages and lower taxes…..

  6. I feel like I should remind everyone that this isn’t entirely on the council’s.
    Part of the Conservatives “devolution” plan was to give councils a list of services that legally had to fulfil and they weren’t allowed to raise additional funds other than like a 3% council tax increase every year.

    So their expenses ballooned while their income stagnated and the Conservative mindset was “they are just mismanaging the money”

    Honestly, genuinely, seriously. The Conservatives have gutted our nation from the inside out and there is no easy fix, especially if we let reform get in with their policy of further Americanisation.

  7. So we’ll all get credit notes for councils not fulfilling their obligations, right?

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