Birmingham Bin Worker Brands Chancellor's Strike Comments 'Disgusting'
Remarks made by Chancellor Rachel Reeves urging striking bin workers to return to work have been described as "disgusting" by a Birmingham refuse collector involved in the long-running industrial action. The Chancellor's comments came during a visit to the West Midlands last week, where she expressed frustration over the ongoing dispute between the Labour-run city council and Unite the union.
Chancellor's Call to End Strikes
While touring a warehouse in Hams Hall, North Warwickshire, Rachel Reeves told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: "It is incredibly frustrating, most of all for the people that live in Birmingham and the businesses in Birmingham who are still not getting a proper service." The Labour government minister urged Unite to call off the strikes, stating they were damaging the city's reputation and creating a "real nightmare" for residents.
"I would urge Unite the union to call off these strikes – it's having a damaging impact on the reputation of the city of Birmingham and it's a real nightmare for people living there," Reeves continued. She emphasized that the "ball is in [Unite's] court" and declared: "I do not support the extension of strikes. They need to get back to work and deliver for local people."
Worker's Furious Response
These comments prompted a furious response from bin worker Matthew Reid during a demonstration in Broad Street on Tuesday evening, February 17. "That's shocking that a Labour cabinet member is speaking like that," he said. "Labour were a party built by workers, for workers. For a MP to say that striking workers should get back to work and stop their legal industrial action is disgusting."
Reid also issued a direct message to the current administration at Birmingham City Council, stating: "Start acting like a Labour council. Start acting like a Labour government. They talk like Labour but they don't act like Labour." The striking worker urged the council to restart negotiations with Unite, emphasizing that union members were prepared to continue industrial action for several more months.
Strike Enters Second Year
The bitter dispute has already dragged into its second year, with workers recently voting to extend industrial action into September. The strike was initially sparked by the loss of the Waste Recycling and Collection Officer role, with striking workers claiming they face a pay cut of £8,000 – a figure the council has disputed.
Birmingham City Council has insisted a fair offer had been made before negotiations came to an end last summer, saying at the time it had 'reached the absolute limit of what we can offer' amid equal pay fears. The council maintains that settling on Unite's terms would "literally upend all the work that's been done to put this council back on an even keel."
Equal Pay Concerns
When asked whether the Labour government could intervene to resolve the deadlock, Rachel Reeves pointed to equal pay concerns as a significant factor. "We work closely with Birmingham City Council," she said. "There are red lines because of equal pay. It was equal pay challenges not addressed for years in Birmingham that led to the bankruptcy."
The Chancellor emphasized the importance of learning from past mistakes and ensuring that "work women traditionally do is valued in the same way that work that is typically done by men is." She added: "I think Unite the union do and should understand that but they do need to bring these fights to an end. It's just not fair on council tax payers and people that live and work in the city."
Strong Support for Continued Action
Matthew Reid revealed strong support among union members for continuing the strike action. "A fair and reasonable deal needs to be agreed by both sides – one side can't just make an offer and say it's fair and reasonable," he argued. "We all have rents and mortgages to pay, life is going on while this strike is taking place."
The bin worker highlighted the strength of recent union ballots, stating: "The last ballot was 100 per cent, that's the strongest ballot we've had so far. We're willing to carry on until the very end." The dispute has also been raised during Prime Minister's Questions, with Sir Keir Starmer stating: "We're doing everything we can to resolve the situation, which absolutely needs resolving."
