350 Unite union workers have been on strike for nearly two months. Birmingham Labour council is slashing a safety-critical role and has said it will issue compulsory redundancy notices. Over 150 workers stand to lose from £2000 to £6000 a year and are striking to defend jobs from Birmingham Council’s cuts.
This branch believes that this strike takes place against a background of huge cuts to local government spending and a victory for the bin workers would be an inspiration for other workers to fight to resist the onslaught. The use of the police by the Council to break up and disrupt picketing is of concern to the wider Trade Union movement, particularly in the context of the attacks on climate protesters and those demonstrating in solidarity with Palestine, as well as the threats to use the army to break the strike.
This branch resolves to:
- Send a message of support to the striking workers via Unite the Union in Brimingham.
- Make a donation of £100 to the strike fund to help support the strikers and their families.
- Circulate details of the strike amongst our members and look at other ways of giving solidarity if this dispute is not settled in the near future.
Motion passed by Branch Committee on 12th May 2025.