Birmingham’s bin workers have walked out for a second time today as they continue their industrial action over plans to downgrade 170 roles.
The walkout of over 300 Unite workers comes after the council refused to delay plans to remove Waste Recycling and Collection Officers roles which check health and safety procedures when using the machinery are followed correctly.
The union say this job is critical to ensuring the safety of workers, and the downgrading of the role would mean affected workers face a pay cut of £8,000 a year.
National Lead Officer at Unite, Onay Kasab, told GB News the plans were “absolutely unacceptable”.
Birmingham bin workers strike for second time over planned pay cut – ‘Absolute outrage’GB NewsHe said: “Our priority is always our member’s pay and working conditions and what’s happening in Birmingham at the refuse service is an absolute outrage.
“The council have decided that our members are going to have to face a pay cut that is absolutely unacceptable, we will not stand by whilst our members are punished with pay cuts.
“We’re sick and tired of hearing about tough decisions and about the people who have to bear the brunt of those tough decisions, why is it always working people, pensioners, who have to pay the price for them?
“These are political choices.”
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Birmingham bin workers striking over pay cuts
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Strike action has already taken place on January 6 and an overtime ban has been in place since the start of the month.
Birmingham City Council said it was disappointed at the action was taking place, but was “committed to resolving the situation in the best interest of all parties involved”.
A Birmingham City Council spokesman said: “We have undertaken steps to ensure Birmingham City Council colleagues affected by the change in working arrangements are supported.
“There are several options that are available to suit different personal circumstances, and of the 170 affected employees, over 130 have already opted for redeployment, driver training or voluntary redundancy.”
Unite union flag on picket line
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Conservative councillor, Robert Alden, Leader of the Opposition at the council, said the strike was “the latest saga of a long-running dispute” after previous bin strikes took place between 2017 and 2019.
He said: “This Labour Administration shows yet again for all the promise of change, what you get with Labour is more of the same dysfunction and mismanagement.
“Coming on top of the Labour Administration’s previous 700-day plus bin dispute, their failure to get a grip with staff-related issues has helped bring the Council to bankruptcy and now they have no plan for how to keep the streets clean.
“Only weeks ago saying there was no chance of a strike. Labour needs to get a grip, fix the service and clean up the streets.”
Industrial action is set to continue on 22 and 30 January, followed by 7, 10,18, 26 February, 6, 14, 25 March and 2 April.