Birmingham bin agency workers dismissed for speaking to colleagues, Unite claims

Three agency bin workers who were allegedly fired for talking to colleagues on their picket line have now joined the strikes against Birmingham City Council, according to Unite.

The three temporary workers, one with five years of service and another with two but with minimal employment protections, were allegedly told they were being dismissed due to a lack of work.

However, Unite claims the dismissals occurred after the workers briefly spoke to striking colleagues on the picket line, before undertaking their collection rounds.

Sharon Graham, general secretary at Unite, said: “This is a new low by council bosses – firing workers they know have no protection for merely speaking to striking colleagues.

“The arrogance and vindictiveness of Birmingham’s commissioner-led council towards low paid hard-working refuse workers is astounding.

“Nearly 400 workers are out on strike, but the council thinks people will believe that just a handful are impacted by its pay attacks.

“It’s as far-fetched as the council’s claims that low paid refuse workers are responsible for the financial collapse of Europe’s biggest local authority.

“But we know what the plan is: get rid of directly employed refuse staff and give the agencies free reign so workers can be discarded at will and paid next to nothing. It won’t happen on Unite’s watch.”

Onay Kasab, national lead officer at Unite, said: “The case for a new grade three role that stops the brutal pay cuts and allows fair pay progression for grade two staff, most of who earn little more than the minimum wage, is affordable and irrefutable.

“The commissioner-controlled council can do this but is telling the public it can’t because it doesn’t want to admit it is prepared to cause chaos for residents for the sake of its race-to-the-bottom agency plans.

“This isn’t about equal wages for other workers – it’s about driving down pay and conditions for all Birmingham council staff, starting with the refuse service.”  

A BCC spokesperson said: “Birmingham City Council and Unite the Union met this afternoon to discuss the current industrial action.

“Whilst no resolution was reached today, there are points for discussion, the tone was constructive and we are working on the matters raised.

“We have contacted Unite representatives to schedule the series of future meeting dates.”