Industrial round-up: Refuse workers fight against cuts

Birmingham refuse workers on strike outside the council (Photo: Alistair Wingate)

Over 350 refuse workers in Birmingham are striking to defend crucial services.

The strikes by Unite union members are trying to prevent the council’s removal of the grade of safety officer. This is a crucial role aimed at preventing accidents on the bin trucks. Some workers will lose up to £8,000 a year and the job will become more dangerous.

The council is trying to drive through a massive £150 million worth of cuts. This austerity drive is headed up by unelected commissioners appointed during the last Tory government.

Hundreds of striking bin workers gathered to demonstrate outside Birmingham council building on Wednesday 12 February.

They lobbied the Acas service, which are mediating talks between Unite and Birmingham council. And last week, workers rejected a one off non-consolidated cash offer.

They’re right to defend critical safety jobs as the council forces through austerity measures. Workers are also set to strike on 26, 27 February, 3, 4, 6, 10, 12, 14, 17, 18, 21, 25, 26, 28, 31 March and 2, 4 April.
Alistair Wingate

Scottish Water workers want pay

Some 1,500 workers at Scottish Water are headed for strikes after being offered a rubbish pay deal.

Unison and Unite union members are fighting against the pitiful 3.4 percent, or £1,400, pay deal. They are arguing that workers are suffering from a decade of pay cuts and this rubbish deal doesn’t even begin to make up for it.

Workers are suffering, while the top boss get richer and ordinary people fork out more for their bill.

Scottish Water’s executive team trousered some £329,000 in bonuses and benefits in 2023/24.  Yet despite massive payouts for bosses, water bills in Scotland are set to rise by 9.9 percent in April.

Workers should fight back against these attacks—and the service should be renationalised and run for public good, rather than corporate greed.

Airport strikes at Heathrow take off

British Airways workers at Heathrow airport are on a four day strike which began on Tuesday. The facilities workers, who are members of the Unite union, are employed by OCS.

OCS claims to be a living wage accredited employer, which means it’s supposed to pay workers £13.85 an hour in London.

But the Unite union workers, who are on external contracts, are only paid the minimum wage of £11.44 an hour. Workers say they’re forced to use foodbanks and struggle to pay their rent.

TfL workers strike for pay equality

Hundreds of workers within the Compliance, Policing, Operations and Security Directorate (CPOS) at Transport for London (TfL) struck for three days from last Friday. 

The Unite union workers, who keep travellers safe on TfL services, are paid up to £27,000 less than London Underground workers in the same roles.

Can bus drivers find ticket for strikes?

Nearly 1000 bus drivers in the north east of England are being consulted over strikes. Drivers and engineers at Go North East have been pushed to the edge by dangerous management practices.

Bosses have threatened people with dismissal when safety issues are raised. In a dictatorial fashion, seven members of staff were sent home last month. Two others felt so much pressure they resigned, and two Unite union reps were de-recognised.

BMW workers drive for better pay deal

Unite union members at the Hams Hall BMW plant in Coleshill, Wawrickshire, are striking over being treated as “second class employees”. 

Over 600 workers protested against poor pay last Tuesday. Workers at Hams Hill have been offered half of what workers received in Oxford.

Workers struck on Sunday and Tuesday. Strike are set for 4, 5, 6, 25, 28 March and 1, 2, 8, 9, 15, 27 April.

Bosses put cheeky Nandos in the bin

Workers at a major poultry supplier are threatening to walk out after bosses de-recognised their GMB union.

Over 500 workers at Avara Foods could strike, threatening the supply of chicken, turkey and duck to restaurants and supermarkets.

Rachelle Wilkins, GMB organiser said, “A cheeky Nandos is a national past time. For Avara bosses to put this in jeopardy is unforgiveable.”

No strike at museums

Security guards in the UVW union have called off a month-long strike after management said it would be announcing an new offer.

Workers are employed by outsourcer Wilson James in central London.

They work at the Natural History, Science and V&A museums. Workers began a month-long continuous strike in February. But it has been called off after Wilson James reportedly told UVW that it will put forward an offer by 7 March.

Defend PCS union reps

Some 200 workers at the HMRC in Newcastle are on strike until 14 March over the victimisation of trade union reps.

Rachel Farmer, Gordon Askew and Joel Hamilton were sacked last year, shortly after leading strikes as part of a national campaign over pay and conditions.

The strike, now in its tenth week, involves members in the employer services helpline at the Benton Park View site.

Strikers are determined to continue their action until their bosses agree to meet with them. Picket lines take place on Tues 4 March (Ainthorpe), Wed 5 March (main gate) and Fri 14 March (Ainthorpe)

• Hundreds of outsourced workers at government departments in London struck on Tuesday and Wednesday. The PCS union members work as security guards, cleaners and other facilities staff work. They are outsourced to multinationals G4S and ISS.