Birmingham bin strikes could last until Christmas after new vote
Birmingham bin strikes could last until December after union members voted to continue industrial action on Thursday.
The Unite union said its members voted by 97 per cent to continue the strikes, which have left much of the city littered with bin bags in recent months, causing concerns over public health.
On-and-off strike action has been taking place since January when an initial 12 walkouts were scheduled over four months. Bin collection workers then announced unlimited strikes on March 11.
Disputes were initially over the removal of waste recycling and collection officer roles but later expanded to include the local authority's decision to hire temporary workers, which the union claims will 'undermine' strikes.
Birmingham council insisted on Thursday that it had made a 'fair and reasonable' offer to bin workers.
But Sharon Graham, the Unite general secretary, said: 'After smearing these workers in public since January and telling them to accept a fair and reasonable offer that never existed, the council finally put a proposal in writing last week.
'True to form, the proposal came weeks late and was not in line with the ballpark offer discussed during Acas talks in May. It had been watered down by the government commissioners and the leader of the council despite them never having been in the negotiations.
'It beggars belief that a Labour government and Labour council are treating these workers so disgracefully. It is hardly surprising that so many working people are asking whose side Labour is on.
'The decision-makers at Birmingham council need to get in the room and put forward an acceptable offer. Unite will not allow these workers to be financially ruined — the strikes will continue for as long as it takes.
'Unite calls on the decision-makers to let common sense prevail in upcoming negotiations.'
Birmingham council denied Graham's claims that the bill had been watered down and said its bin collection service needed to be changed entirely.
The council said: 'This is a service that needs to be transformed to one that citizens of Birmingham deserve and the council remains committed to resolving this dispute.
'We have made a fair and reasonable offer that we have asked Unite to put to their members and we are awaiting their response.'
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