Bins dispute sours with accusations of ‘bullying’ Strikes extended as union accuses council of playing games
BIRMINGHAM council bin bosses have accused striking workers of bullying colleagues and not picking up black bags or emptying overfilled bins when on duty.
The allegations came in a letter sent to the trade unions representing the binmen as the city council confirmed it was bringing in private contractors to empty bins at evenings and weekends in a bid to break the strike and clear up the worst-hit streets.
The allegations have been described as ‘spurious’ by the Unite union.
It suggested the council was set to take a hard line over the industrial action and came as negotiations between the bosses and unions are set to resume this Thursday.
Relations have already soured with both sides accusing the other of “playing games” earlier this week as the union announced a ramping up of strike action from two to three hours a day throughout August.
The Post understands the council did not pull its punches in the letter, which has been sent to all unions, even though only Unite members voted for industrial action. The letter claimed: The industrial action was going beyond work to rule – not picking up black bags or emptying overstuffed wheelie bins;
There had been harassment and intimidation by striking workers against their working colleagues;
Staff were refusing to carry management instructions.
The council also requested that tower blocks be excluded from industrial action in the wake of the Grenfell fire in London.
The council blamed union representatives for most of the problems including the refusal to collect side waste or overflowing bins. It said that they were not allowed to refuse these during periods of industrial action. out
A Unite spokesman hit back, saying: “The industrial action being taken by our members in defence of their jobs and livelihoods is lawful.
“Council bosses should be focus- ing their energies on trying to resolve this dispute rather than seeking to inflame matters with spurious allegations and threatening letters to trade unions.
“We’d urge the council to rethink its plans which will see many workers either being forced to take a pay cut of up to £6,000 or losing their job in the refuse service.”
Labour cabinet member for clean streets Lisa Trickett said: “Normally they do not collect this overflow waste but when this is a result of industrial action they have to pick up. They are being wrongly told not to.”
On the allegations of bullying she said: “I respect people’s right to take industrial action.
“But equally they must show respect to people who are not taking that action.”
Council bosses should be focusing their energies on trying to resolve this dispute rather than seeking to inflame matters with spurious allegations
She said they are now talking to outside contractors and their usual agency partners to get the huge backlogs of bags and bins cleared outside normal operating hours at evenings and weekends.
“We will do whatever it takes to get the job done without breaking the rules of engagement,” she added.
She again stressed that there were alternative jobs and no loss of pay for those whose roles were being scrapped.
And in a message to residents she added: “I’m really sorry industrial action has meant that your bins haven’t been collected. We are doing all we can to clear the backlog focussing on hotspots around the city and bringing crew in at weekends to clear the waste.
Unite union