This is the moment that Birmingham drivers sounded their horns in solidarity with striking bin workers. Drivers blasted their horns at Birmingham bin men this morning, January 6, on the first of 12 strike days.
Cheers could be heard as workers at the Lifford Lane depot in Kings Norton chanted ‘Unite, unite, we stand and we fight’ as cars hit their horns. Around 350 workers and Unite members voted for the industrial action in December over what the union describes as an attack on pay and working conditions by Birmingham City Council.
The council has said ensuring the safety of employees and residents is taken “extremely seriously.” Regional Unite boss Zoe Mayou told our reporter at the picket line this morning that a dispute resolution meeting is taking place with the council this afternoon. BirminghamLive has contacted Birmingham City Council for an updated statement.
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A large crowd of bin workers with bright red Unite flags collected at the Lifford Lane depot from 6am this morning in bitterly cold temperatures. Crews were waving placards, giving cheers and raising their fists up in solidarity as they joined hundreds across Birmingham in mass industrial action.
Some city drivers beeped their horns in support of the strike, which could be clearly made out from the main road. Unite said the strikes were a result of the authority’s decision to “abolish” the Waste Recycling and Collection Officer role, which it said was “safety critical.”
The union added it will “leave no stone unturned” in resolving the dispute. The strike action is planned for 12 days in 2025 – including four this month. The dates are:
January 6, 14, 22, 30
February 7, 10,18, 26
March 6, 14, 25
April 2
Council says safety taken ‘extremely seriously’
A Birmingham City Council spokesperson said: “We are disappointed that this action is taking place, but we are continuing to work through the dispute resolution procedure. We would like to assure residents that we will do all we can to minimise disruption during any potential industrial action.
“We thank residents for their understanding and patience during this challenging period and assure everyone that we are committed to resolving the situation in the best interest of all parties involved. Up-to-date information will be provided via our website, social media and encourage residents to sign up to bin collection newsletter.
“Ensuring the safety of our employees and residents is taken extremely seriously, and health and safety is everyone’s responsibility. We have undertaken steps to ensure Birmingham City Council colleagues affected by the change in working arrangements are supported.
“There are several options that are available to suit different personal circumstances, and of the 170 affected employees, over 130 have already opted for redeployment, driver training or voluntary redundancy.
“We have moved quickly to minimise this period of uncertainty for everyone. We are committed to working with our colleagues across the service for the best outcome so that we deliver a consistent and reliable service that Birmingham residents deserve.”
Unite says dispute is ‘council’s own making’
Unite regional officer Zoe Mayou said: “Unite has bent over backwards to resolve this dispute but the council has negotiated in bad faith and is simply refusing to treat its workers with fairness and decency.
“The strikes, overtime ban and work to rule will cause huge disruption to refuse services throughout Birmingham but this dispute is entirely of the council’s own making. The solution to this dispute is in the council’s hands.”
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