Over 350 bin workers in Birmingham, England have started a strike over a dispute about pay.
Today (4 February), today (10, 18 and 26 Feb), tomorrow (6 March), and on 25 and 6 April are all scheduled for strike action. Since 2 January, there has been a ban on overtime and a “work-to-rule” system where workers follow the official start and end times. They also return to their work yard for a 15-minute lunch and 30-minute break.
Workers argued that this strike was a direct result of the decision of the council to eliminate the role of waste recycling and collection officers (WRCO), which led to pay cuts up to PS8,000 per worker. A number of these workers have also been employed by agencies for more than a decade.
Unite, the union representing the workers, said that they had accepted pay cuts and other terms and conditions after the council declared bankruptcy in September of 2023. They also stated that the management worked in good faith with them to continue services.
Birmingham City Council’s spokesperson stated: “We regret that this action has taken place but continue to work on the dispute resolution process. We want to assure you that we will resolve the matter in the best interests of all parties.
“We’ve taken steps to support Birmingham City Council employees affected by this change. There are a variety of options available for different circumstances. Of the 170 employees affected, more than 130 have already chosen to redeploy, undergo driver training, or take voluntary redundancy. We moved quickly to minimize this uncertainty period for everyone. We will work with all staff to achieve the best possible outcome, so that we can deliver a reliable and consistent service.”
Sharon Graham, Unite’s general secretary, said: “There are no excuses for such massive pay cuts. Birmingham Council can’t ignore the situation and hope it goes away. “It is a line drawn in the sand by our members.”
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