Union accuses Government commissioners of ‘sabotaging’ bin-strike talks

The union at the centre of the long-running Birmingham bin strike has accused Government commissioners of “sabotaging” talks aimed at resolving the dispute.

Members of Unite have been on all-out strike for over two months in a row over pay and jobs, leading to bins piling up across the city.

The conciliation service Acas has been involved in talks since the start of the month, but the dispute remains deadlocked.

Unite said the talks set out a clear timeline for a discussed offer to be tabled by the council, but it claimed no offer has been made.

Commissioners were brought in by the previous Conservative government after the council declared itself effectively bankrupt in September 2023.

Unite said: “What has become increasingly clear is that the offer is now being blocked by the Government commissions and the leader of the council, none of whom have ever been in the negotiating room.

“At the Acas talks, the council side was headed up for the first time by Birmingham council managing director Joanne Roney. She assured the meeting that she was the decision maker and at the table to negotiate. Discussions then took place in good faith.

“This latest debacle comes after it was confirmed that the ‘fair and reasonable offer’ that the Prime Minister, deputy prime minister and the leader of the council had been briefing to the press, urging Unite to accept, did not exist.”

Unite said it had been asking for a copy of the offer since the start of the Acas talks, but was still waiting.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Unite deals with thousands of negotiations every year. From the council side, the negotiations in this dispute have been a shambles, with the government right at the heart of it.

“The offer briefed to the press for all affected workers simply never existed and the new ballpark offer discussed at Acas has now been blocked by Government commissioners. Instead of trying to injunct picket lines and attack workers, the council leader should stop playing games, get in the room and solve this dispute.

“Birmingham city council’s bin workers, residents and the public at large have all been lied to.

“The bottom line is that our members can’t afford to have savage pay cuts of up to £8,000 with no mitigation. Until that issue is addressed the strikes will continue.

“If Labour is truly the party for workers, how can this Government be aiding and abetting these cuts and once again allowing workers and communities to pay the price?”

Unite said in a statement: “Talks aimed at resolving the Birmingham bin strike have been sabotaged by government commissioners.”