Birmingham bin workers urged to accept ‘fair’ offer

The leader of Birmingham City Council has urged refuse workers to accept its “fair” pay offer and told Sky News he is “absolutely determined” to end the bin crisis.

Twenty-thousand tonnes of rubbish have now been cleared as the strike enters its fifth week but there is no sign of a resolution with the Unite union.

Birmingham City Council leader John Cotton said it “pains” him to see pictures of mounds of rubbish and rats feeding off the mess being broadcast around the world.

“I absolutely get the frustration and annoyance that there is amongst the people of Birmingham,” he said.

“I’m a proud Brummie myself, I live here, so I experience this on a day-to-day basis.

“We are absolutely determined to bring this dispute to a conclusion. I say we have a fair and reasonable offer on the table.”

He added: “I urge Unite to engage with us on the basis of a discussion around that fair and reasonable offer that means people don’t need to lose out as a result of the changes that we’re making.”

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The council says it’s reducing the number of workers from four to three on bin lorries to bring them in line with other local authorities and help “transform services”.

Mr Cotton said all workers affected had been offered different roles, training to become drivers or voluntary redundancy.

Unite, which represents the striking workers, says some will be £8,000 a year worse off and claims bin lorry drivers will have their pay cut next.

Read more:
Refuse workers reject council’s offer

Unite said in a statement that the council had refused to put in writing claims made in public that “no one would lose any pay” so the union could then consider that part of an official offer.

Union officer Onay Kasab told Sky News: “I can’t understand, I can’t make the connection, between a council leader saying nobody needs to lose any pay then negotiators turning up with absolutely no proposals, only wanting to hear from us.

“And once they heard from us, not willing to respond and saying they don’t want to meet until Wednesday of next week.

“Well here’s our response – we will meet with you any time, any place, anywhere.”