Socialist Party members have been visiting picket lines as part of the Birmingham Bin Strike as well as campaigning on the streets of Brum against cuts to the bin workers pay and safety, and all council services. Below is the text of our latest strike bulletin:
How Can The Council Be Forced Back
Mass turnouts on the picket line at all three depots last week put to bed any questions about whether bin workers are prepared to fight the council’s latest attack on the WRCO role!
The Socialist Party stands 100% behind the strike. Many of our members as part of Unite and other unions have recently been involved in disputes with councils and private sector employers. We respectfully offer the following suggestions on how the strike can be won and make a turning point in the battle against cuts in Brum:
Build The Union
Regular city wide meetings of Unite members from all three depots can be a chance to discuss what impact the strike is having and review the tactics, including increasing the number of days taken if the council refuse to back down. This can also make sure that members feel in control of their union and the way the dispute is being organised.
Publicity campaign
Door to door leafletting in the seats of leading councillors to put pressure on them, combined with targeted social media can explain why the strike is happening, answer the council’s lies and put pressure on those responsible at the top. This could be backed up with mass protests outside the next council meetings on the afternoon of 28th January and 25th February, calling an extra strike day if needed.
Finance
Many union branches and individual supporters will be happy to do what they can to make sure striking bin workers aren’t starved back to work. Already South Birmingham Unite branch has offered to donate up to £4000 to the strike fund. An appeal for further donations from trade unionists in Birmingham and further afield can build up an effective war chest.
Reports from the picket line
Despite the blizzard conditions, morale at Perry Barr was high. Workers told us “If it takes days, weeks or months, we’ll do what it takes to beat the council”. At Redfern Road over 30 pickets were stood over the road from the management office.
Many mentioned senior management’s lack of experience in collecting bins in the ice and snow: “every couple of years, the council bring new people in from outside to tell us how to do our jobs, they mess up, get paid off then its someone else’s turn”
One Grade 3 explained how axing the WRCO post could cost the council money and staff hours due to the role they play in dealing with questions and complaints from residents and logging broken or missing bins while out on their rounds. “Until they tell me my job is safe, I’m not getting that tablet out!”
A crowd of bin workers gathered on the corner outside Lifford Lane chanting “Unite, Unite, we stand up and fight” with passing cars beeping in support.
Political Pressure Needed
For the past 14 years Labour councils have carried out vicious cuts, and aggressive anti-union tactics. None more so than in Birmingham when the council went to war with bin workers twice and cut over £800m from local services.
Labour coming to power nationally has provided no let up. Rachel Reeves is now telling us we might have to suffer further cuts and interest rate rises!
This government and council have shown clearly who they stand for - the wealthy, not workers.Unite has already reduced the money it pays to Labour, and suspended it completely in the West Midlands when bin drivers in Coventry went on strike in 2022.
But many Unite members are questioning why any of the union’s funds are being given to a party that attacks jobs and pay in Birmingham and elsewhere. The strike in Brum should be the start of a genuine debate within Unite about how its funds could be opened up to sponsor working class candidates against Labour, Tories and all the pro-cuts parties, starting with the council elections next year!