Birmingham Bin Strike//Care Workers news and discussion
- Thread starter Magnus McGinty
- Start date
purenarcotic
Conveniently Pocket Sized
Cunts.
beesonthewhatnow
going deaf for a living
Just seen a collection being done down the road from me - clearly agency staff, unbranded truck and unbranded hiviz.
redsquirrel
This Machine Kills Progressives
This. And fuck Labour.
cybershot
Well-Known Member
One down Bin strike council leader resigns
Not fully read article as just heard it in news. Not sure if this is good news for the binmen or not to be honest.
Not fully read article as just heard it in news. Not sure if this is good news for the binmen or not to be honest.
BigTom
Well-Known Member
gawkrodger ?
edit: if you work in town you could probably go to Transport House on Broad Street where Unite have their offices (old TGWU building, Unite was formed from a merger of TGWU and Amicus). It's sort of opposite sheepcote street junction.
purenarcotic
Conveniently Pocket Sized
There are details somewhere on the FB page:
Birmingham Bin Workers Strike - Independent Support Group
gawkrodger
Well-Known Member
Currently you can donate via bank transfer (should hopefully be a gofundme or similar as well as a way to pay for food donations in a day or two)
Unity trust bank
Sort code 60-83-01
Account no 33011998
gawkrodger
Well-Known Member
oh, and Brum Unite offices have now moved from Broad Street and are in the Eastside development
Unite the Union, 6 Holt Court North, Heneage Street West, Birmingham, B7 4AX
Unite the Union, 6 Holt Court North, Heneage Street West, Birmingham, B7 4AX
Smokeandsteam
Working Class First
The interim Chief Executive has also confirmed that she will not be seeking the job on a permanent basis.
However, the redundancy notices remain in place, the workers jobs were advertised in the Metro here yesterday and the Council has gone out to all its staff asking them to help collect waste at the weekend for overtime payments and had increased the use of private contractors.
cybershot
Well-Known Member
This is disgraceful. Also noted on the leaked emails that anyone who volunteers for this has to be trained, obviously, but during their normal working hours, so taking them away from whatever job they are currently doing, impacting council services either further and yet more time and money being spent on training casuals.
This whole fiasco must be costing them a fortune.
beesonthewhatnow
going deaf for a living
We've had a collection, apparently not even a proper bin lorry, just blokes putting black sacks into the back of a van.
redsquirrel
This Machine Kills Progressives
Good.
Smokeandsteam
Working Class First
In addition to this they have abandoned any pretence of recycling (ours hasn't been collected for over a month now and is just a wet pile of shit). They can expect a further penalty for that.
And let's remember that the pretext for trashing the deal at ACAS that was cited by the Chief Executive was that such a deal threatended the ability of the counci to set a legal budget (against a backdrop of £1 Billion Tory cuts since 2010). The cost of using contractors, overtime, the offer to all staff and the accumulating fines must be into many £ Millions by now indicating that money alone is not the agenda here.
cybershot
Well-Known Member
They've collected my recycling twice since the strikes started. One occassion as they came after I got home it was just thrown in the back of the lorry along with the black bags. I can only assume it was also done that way the second time, as again they left the card/paper box on my grass next to the bin, rather than in it. So despite being collected, it's not going to the recycling plant but to landfill.
gawkrodger
Well-Known Member
Smokeandsteam
Working Class First
The Council have released figures today showing they have lost over £300,000 on missed recycling since the dispute started.
We've only had one collection since the strike and like yours it went straight in with the landfill stuff. I've given up recycling and just chuck everything in the bin now.
purenarcotic
Conveniently Pocket Sized
I'm using the recycling bin as an extra bin as I saw a statement saying it wasn't been recycled but would be collected with everything else to go to landfill a couple of weeks ago.
. Pro
. Pro
gawkrodger
Well-Known Member
tomorrow
gawkrodger
Well-Known Member
pretty good turnout for a Sunday morning in Brum
gawkrodger
Well-Known Member
pretty good turnout for a Sunday morning in Brum
Smokeandsteam
Working Class First
300 you reckon?
I've heard today the Council is invoking partial performance against the workers (for those who don't know this means the council can deduct a full days pay when strike action is taken - even just an hour). Plus further disciplinary charges against more workers have been issued.
So private contractors, a scabbing operation via other council staff, stewards facing gross misconduct charges and now anti trade union law being invoked. Still not a word from Corbyn or McDonnell by the way
belboid
Exasperated, not angry.
Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell backs Birmingham bin strike
Corbyn has spoken out as well, supportively but in a rather vague way. They should say more, but it's not true they've said nothing.
And bizarrely the dispute is with their own party!
Smokeandsteam
Working Class First
McDonnell has supported 'strikes against austerity' it's true. But about a labour council:
- suspending trade union stewards
- threatening other workers with disciplinary action up to an including gross misconduct
- invoking partial performance measures against strikers
- hiring private contractors to try to break the strike
- offering overtime to council workers if they want to empty the bins
- most importantly renegaging on an ACAS deal struck with the union
he's had nothing to say. Nothing. Ditto Jeremy. I understand two bin workers approached McDonnell at the TUC and politely asked if he could intervene or at least say something about the attempt by a labour council to break the workers and their union.
Given the lock out move by the council - and the further raft of disciplinary proceedings announced in letters to workers over the weekend - airy statements about 'austerity' don't go anywhere near
far enough for the workers involved.
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