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.”