Watch: Tense moment Birmingham council leader faces fury from public gallery over bin strikes
A Birmingham City Council meeting descended into turmoil as anger over the bins strike rumbles on.
Council leader John Cotton in particular faced fury from the public gallery in a tense moment before the meeting on Tuesday (June 17) was dramatically adjourned.
“Would you take an £8,000 pay cut Cotton?” a man furiously shouted as Councillor Cotton attempted to answer a question about the strike from a resident.
The dramatic scenes, which were caught on camera, continued as the man then yelled: “Would you? Come on?
“I’m asking you directly John – would you take a £8,000 pay cut?
“That’s what you’re expecting hard working bin workers to take.”
As he was guided out from the public gallery, he then shouted “p*** off you “d*******” before being escorted through the doors to applause.
The chaos continued however, with two further interruptions from members of the public before the Lord Mayor decided to adjourn the meeting for a short break.
A protest in support of the striking bin workers was also held outside the council house before the meeting got under way on Tuesday afternoon which saw the council’s leadership urged to stop the ‘pay cuts’.
The Birmingham bins strike was triggered by a dispute between the Labour-run council and Unite the union over plans to scrap a Waste Recycling and Collection Officer (WRCO).
Striking workers have raised concerns about pay in the past while the council’s leadership has repeatedly insisted that a “fair and reasonable” offer has been made.
The authority has also said previously that all WRCO workers had been offered alternative employment at the same pay, driver training or voluntary redundancy.
Councillor Cotton added that the council “cannot and will not entertain anything that would re-open an equal pay liability”.
