City ‘caves in’ to union on binmen’s pay dispute Opposition councillors hit out after deal that could end strike
BIRMINGHAM’S Labour leadership has been accused of “giving the unions everything they wanted” by the opposition Tories after it was confirmed binmen’s jobs will be retained at their existing pay grade.
Council leaders have backed a deal with the binmen which is “likely to resolve the current dispute” and end the prospect of further strikes.
It means that a High Court action over the dispute – which has so far cost £6.6 million – will be withdrawn.
Conservative leader Councillor Robert Alden said: “It is most disappointing that in effect we have given the unions everything they wanted, but instead of doing it last April we spent £6.6 million on this dispute.”
Liberal Democrat leader Coucillor Jon Hunt added: “It is good news there will be no more bin strikes and there’s no court action next week. But this will be costly for the city.”
The key area of dispute surrounded the 106 grade three posts called ‘leading hands’ which were being scrapped and downgraded to a grade two, which would have cost those workers about £4,000 a year.
Their jobs will now be rebranded as waste reduction and collection officers at their current level of pay and they will be given training to work on increasing recycling rates through the service.
A cabinet report stated that they will move towards to five day-a-week working and new bin rounds through which it expects to save £3 million a year.
Council Labour leader Ian Ward said: “We have worked very, very hard to ensure that we can resolve this dispute with the trade unions. There are no real winners here. To date this has been enormously expensive for the taxpayers of Birmingham.”
He added: “The only bit of good news is that the residents of Birmingham will have their bins collected going forward.”
The new focus on recycling will also increase council income by £1.6 million for every ten per cent increase in the recycling rate, which is currently very low.
Both opposition leaders asked if the new deal will be compliant with equal pay law as a similar deal agreed in August was thought to risk legal action.
Councillor Ward replied that these were completely new jobs.
Cabinet member for bins Lisa Trickett added that they had taken expert legal advice before agreeing the deal.