Agency workers strike

Unite members and their supporters held a rally through the streets of Birmingham in support of bin workers this morning (1 Dec).

Hundreds of supporters and striking workers gathered for the rally outside the Smithfield Depot at 8.30 on the first day of strike action by agency workers employed by Job & Talent, before marching through the streets of Birmingham city centre.

The agency workers action is “unprecedented development” which sees the workers, who are directly employed by Birmingham council, now be joined on picket lines by agency workers employed by Job & Talent on the refuse contract.

Job & Talent workers voted in favour of strike action over bullying, harassment and the threat of blacklisting at the council’s refuse department two weeks ago.

The number of agency workers, many of whom have worked in the refuse service for more than a decade without job security or full employment rights, who will join the strike action is growing daily.

Meanwhile, strikes over fire and rehire pay cuts of up to £8,000 by directly employed bin workers, which have been running since January, could continue beyond May’s local elections.

The directly employed bin workers voted in favour of extending their industrial action mandate earlier this month.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Birmingham council will only resolve this dispute when it stops the appalling treatment of its workforce.

“Agency workers have now joined with directly employed staff to stand up against the massive injustices done to them.

“Instead of wasting millions more of council taxpayers’ money fighting a dispute it could settle justly for a fraction of the cost, the council needs to return to talks with Unite and put forward a fair deal for all bin workers. Strikes will not end until it does.”

Today’s rally is just the last show of support from members and local people in Birmingham, there have been a number of rallies and demonstrations, while in September bins workers took their message to Liverpool and the Labour Party Conference and in July bin striker Matt Reid, addressed crowds at the Tolpuddle Martyrs Festival. 

There is growing alarm across Birmingham both at the mess and disruption that the strike is causing but also the additional costs that council taxpayers are being expected to fund, at a council which is officially bankrupt. 

A forensic accountant working with Unite estimated the direct cost to the council will hit £15 million by the end of the year, but there have been no formal negotiations over ending the dispute since May, after the council reengaged on a “ballpark deal” agreed with council chief executive Joanne Roney.

Unite remains fully open to return to negotiations to resolve the dispute.

More photos of striking workers marching through Birmingham below.

By Keith Hatch

Photos by Mark Thomas