Backing bin workers

Unite branches across North London, joined with Trades Councils, unions and campaign groups in a show of solidarity with striking Birmingham bin workers last night (Wednesday 21), at a time when the Birmingham Bin Strike is escalating.

Unite branches including the London Building Workers Branch (LE UG005), Haringey Craft Workers (LE/UG130) Wood Green Bus Garage (LE 537) and London Digital and Tech (LE7098L) joined with the London & Eastern Region in supporting the event, organised by Haringey Trades Union Council and North London We Demand Change.

The “Solidarity With the Birmingham Bin Workers” rally took place in the North London Community House in Tottenham – and drew in a large crowd who heard from speakers involved in the campaign.

Striking bin worker Steve Biset explained to people how the council changes would affect individuals in depots across the city and the huge amount of pay they stood to lose. Steve also pointed out the safety critical role of many of the workers and why they overwhelmingly rejected a partial council offer last month.

Steve said that the changes that they are fighting “only affects the people who are actually on the roads doing the work that needs doing – drivers and loaders.”

He went on to talk about the ballot and the strike action the workers are involved with, also highlighting this wasn’t just about the current bin workers, but the future of what is seen as a “less glamorous job”.

Steve said that across the public sector, though essential, there is a view that “nobody wants to do practical jobs now, so if you cut money from these jobs then who is going to do them in 50, 60 years – especially if kids today don’t want to do them now.”

Adding that workers shouldn’t have to pay for the mistakes of their employers, Steve drew a round of applause when he said, “I mean, I haven’t spent millions of pounds. I suppose that if I did I’d be on the beach drinking a pina colada.”

Steve wrapped up by thanking Unite and its members for supporting them and “giving people a fighting chance.”

Striking Bin Worker, Steve Biset and Unite National Officer Onay Kasab

Following Steve was Unite National Lead Officer Onay Kasab.

Onay updated people on how the dispute had been going, in particular focusing on the talks at ACAS that Unite instigated, and said that Unite officers from the general secretary down have been proud to stand on a picket line with these workers.

Onay felt the actions of Birmingham City Council was “Austerity Mark 2”, and that “of course we support equal pay, but this should be about harmonising upwards. The council has had the chance to put this right, but they are divorced from reality.”

Summing up the situation refuse workers in Birmingham are facing, Onay said that the council had been acting “disgracefully”, and at the moment, despite the council constantly changing the story that it tells the media, “there is no proposal on the table.”

“What you have is MPs on subsidised lunches, telling councillors, who are getting a 5.7% increase in allowances, to tell workers to take a cut of up to £8,000 in their pay.

“That is the absolutely disgraceful situation that we are currently in.

“But we have members who are willing to take strike action, and we will win.”

Afterwards Unite Regional Officer Declan Murphy, who had helped organise the event said, “Our growing branch was key in helping Haringey TUC organise this. This is a local strike with national implications, especially when you see what is going on in Haringey.”

“The branch has generously supported this strike, because this is what the branch believes in, trade unions supporting workers!”

Solidarity from London

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham commented about the campaign to protect bin workers wages in a press article covered in Unite Live yesterday. 

By Keith Hatch