Last week the high court approved an injunction brought by Birmingham City Council against striking bin workers. They will now be threatened with arrest for blocking the entrances to depots, walking in front of bin lorries or congregating outside of designated areas. This shows who the justice system works for - the council bosses’ arguments were listened to over those of the workforce and the union.
This follows in the footsteps of previous court rulings against trade unions including the ban on posties striking in 2019. Labour pledged to reverse some of the Tory anti-union laws within 100 days of coming to power, as well as ban the use of zero hours contracts which the council has taken full advantage of. 11 months later and we’re still waiting!
Unite is making plans to challenge the injunction. But if it’s not overturned, other tactics can stop the scabs and put the pressure back on the council. On the picket lines each day and in our latest strike bulletin, Socialist Party members have been discussing this Unite members on the bins.
Mobilise the Movement
Bin workers might be banned from standing in the way of depot gates, but what about other trade union members? Down the road from each of the bin depots there are bus garages with plenty of Unite members with experience of blocking vehicles from their own successful strike in 2023.
A direct approach to union members at these workplaces and other large groups of unionised shift workers could bring out groups to help prevent agency crews leaving. And that’s not to mention approaching other Birmingham City Council workers who could be next in line for cuts! In Coventry a handful of supporters and union organisers have managed to shut down the scab company Tom White Waste when they have picketed the depot.
Build A Strike Committee
Despite the council’s best efforts, the strike has stayed solid with more joining the strike than going back to work. A mass meeting of Unite members could debate and decide together what tactics can be used to delay and stop scab collections, what the union’s red lines should be in negotiations and how to respond to the VR offers that have been made to drivers.
Electing a strike committee that can support the reps in getting information out to members and feeding back to the union from the pickets can help keep the workforce united against the council’s attacks and get a resolution to the strike that all workers can accept.
Council Splashes The Cash
The council have been exposed as spending close to £1m so far on policing the strike. And that’s to say nothing of money spent on legal fees, private security and overtime payments to agency crews rather than settling the dispute! As the council’s running tab becomes clear it should be broadcast across the city so Brummies see who is responsible for the strike dragging on.
Bring The Fight To Birmingham
If Birmingham is the main battleground against Starmer's cuts then Unite needs to bring the fight here by calling a national demonstration to demand a fair deal for Birmingham bin workers and all in the public sector struggling for fair pay.
It’s clear this dispute is being used as a test bed for further cuts to be carried out by Labour councils and the government. Unite should appeal to other unions to join them in a mass demonstration – as a step towards joining them in a mass strike.
A wider political campaign with bin workers at its head could shift Rayner and the other Labour ministers and government commissioners who are blocking the bin workers from getting what they deserve.
But if Unite continues to fund Labour by default it will feeding the hand that bites. Trade unions should support only genuinely anti-cuts and pro-worker candidates as a step towards the working class party we need.