Ministers sitting on hands over Birmingham bin strike

The federal government is sitting on its fingers over the Birmingham bin strike as negotiations within the dispute descend into farce, a union boss says.

Unite basic secretary Sharon Graham has advised Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner the federal government can now not say it’s “nothing to do with us. We will not get entangled”.

In a letter to Rayner, leaked to the BBC, Graham additionally claims “false narratives” have been utilized in authorities statements on the dispute that has left greater than 17,000 tonnes of waste on metropolis streets.

Birmingham Metropolis Council stated it was “grateful for the federal government’s assist”, whereas the federal government stated the dispute ought to stay “regionally led” whereas calling for “a direct settlement”.

“Each try being made to resolve the dispute by Unite negotiators within the room, is being met with ‘a pc says no’ reply,” Graham advised Rayner in her letter.

Unite has claimed a deliberate restructuring of Birmingham’s refuse service would see 50 employees lose £8,000 a yr and about 20 lose £2,000 every year.

Nevertheless, the native authority rejects that and says underneath its pay restructuring plan a complete of solely 17 employees would resist a £6,000 loss per yr. Councillors have added that underneath different offers supplied, “no employee wanted to lose a penny”.

“Let me be very clear that the pay of those employees is being reduce by a Labour council underneath your watch. That could be a reality that may’t be averted,” Graham wrote to Rayner.

“The present escalation more and more appears like a declaration of conflict on these employees.”

In an announcement to the Home of Commons on Tuesday, native authorities minister Jim McMahon relied on “false narratives” across the proposals and demonstrated a lack of information concerning the dispute, Graham wrote.

She goes on to argue councillors concerned in negotiations don’t have any energy to make choices.

“This predetermined charade is performed out after ‘session’ with these exterior the room – specifically the government-appointed commissioner Max Caller, who’s instantly underneath your division and your authority,” she stated.

“Mr Caller is meant to be performing in an advisory capability. Nevertheless, he has been performing because the principal determination maker.”

Caller was introduced in by the earlier Conservative authorities in 2023, when the council declared itself basically bankrupt, having paid out greater than £1bn in equal pay claims.

The payouts had been a part of a wider monetary disaster that left the council with the greatest level of debt of any local authority in England.

“I’m in fact aware of the monetary place of the council,” wrote Graham.

“However it’s clear to me that my members’ pockets are being picked to make financial savings as a consequence of historic money owed.

“Certainly, Birmingham council are at the moment making repayments (together with curiosity) of £250m per yr, virtually all of it to the Treasury, on a £3.9bn debt.”

Whereas accepting the federal government has no “urge for food for debt cancellation”, she stated decreasing the compensation interval and the speed of curiosity the council is paying the federal government over its money owed may very well be reviewed.

“We have to have an emergency assembly with the chief of the council, concerning debt restructuring and instantly examine the position of the commissioner within the dispute,” she stated.

“We will then take away the specter of reducing £8,000 per yr from our members‘ pay packets and talk about wise options.”

With out addressing these issues with councils extra extensively, Graham stated “we’re a full-blown disaster in native authorities”.

Up to now, there appears no signal of a decision within the strikes and the Unite basic secretary has been notable largely by her absence.

Aside from giving a couple of quotes, Sharon Graham has not been on picket strains, and has failed to offer interviews attacking the council or the federal government.

Nevertheless, as her letter indicated, senior figures have been having conversations behind the scenes.

With some union members underneath risk of redundancy and the declaration of a significant incident simply this week, the council place seems to be hardening. This letter to the deputy prime minister appears to be an try to vary that.

A authorities spokesperson stated: “It’s proper that this continues to be a regionally led response, as is common within the case of council-run providers.

“However we’re monitoring the state of affairs intently and won’t hesitate to behave ought to the council require extra assist.”

Town council stated the necessity to “modernise the waste service and remove any future equal pay threat” was unrelated to its debt points.

The native authority has paid out greater than £1bn in equal pay claims since a landmark case was introduced in opposition to it in 2012.

“A good and affordable provide stays on the desk which might convey this dispute to an finish,” a spokesperson added.