Unite ready to continue talks 

Talks started today (April 16) between Unite and Birmingham City Council, and before they began the Council leader, John Cotton, and his team were busy doing a media round giving interviews.

However once the talks had started they entered a “parallel universe” as the council refused to put in writing what John Cotton and his team had been saying in public, and in these media interviews.

Unite believes they are telling untruths to the public to infer the offer given is better than it really is, and they need to come clean.

Mr Cotton said only today that ‘nobody needs to lose income’ and other council officers publicly have made references to items on an offer Unite has not been given. 

So today Unite asked council negotiators to put in writing what has been said in public by them, so members could consider it as an official offer.

Namely: 

1. That no-one would lose any pay.

2. That WRCO workers that moved sideways into new jobs would not lose pay in the long term. 

3. That drivers would not lose pay by being downgraded, which would result in an £8,000 loss.

4. That WRCO workers who do not wish to make a sideways move would receive a one-off payment of £16,000 to cover two years’ loss of £8,000 in pay cuts. 

Despite being very vocal in the media round, council negotiators have refused to put this in writing.

Birmingham City Council seems happier to continue to play games rather than take negotiations seriously. Unite has offered to continue negotiations for the rest of the week and over the bank holiday weekend, however, the council has said talks will not resume until next Wednesday. 

Unite has again urged both John Cotton, as well as Angela Rayner to meet with the union’s general secretary, Sharon Graham, at any point over Easter to get the issues addressed for these workers and the people of Birmingham.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “We appear to be in parallel universe. Yet again John Cotton is saying one thing in public, while his local officers are saying another in the negotiating room and in writing. If the council puts in writing what it says in public then we would likely be much closer to a deal.

“If John Cotton is being honest that no worker needs to lose income, the deal put forward by Unite should be accepted. Three very simple solutions focussed on WRCOs and drivers not being forced to take £8,000 pay cuts. 

“How can anyone be asked to lose a quarter of pay? These workers have mortgages, rent and food bills to pay. I see councillors’ expenses and council tax all go up, while wages and community services go down.

“I stand ready to meet John Cotton and indeed Angela Rayner anytime over Easter. Rather than walking through rubbish with high vizzes on, let’s get this issue dealt with for workers and the community of Birmingham.

“If John Cotton’s comments prove again to be untrue today, like the previous nonsense that the dispute only affected 17 workers, maybe he should rethink his position.”

On Monday Unite members overwhelmingly rejected the council offer, and on Tuesday around 100 workers gathered at the Council Offices to hand in a petition, but instead of accepting the petition the striking refuse workers found locked doors.

By Keith Hatch