Birmingham bin workers stage demo outside LGA conference in Liverpool as their strike continues
Bin workers in Birmingham have joined a demonstration outside the LGA conference in Liverpool today (Tuesday, July 1)
Dozens of striking bin workers have staged a demonstration as Liverpool welcomes more than 1,600 local government officials for their annual conference. Members of Unite the Union gathered outside the ACC Liverpool this morning as the first day of the Local Government Association (LGA) conference began.
Workers holding flags, banners and placards, made their voices heard over the long-running bin strike in Birmingham. The walkout began in January over pay cuts of up to £8,000 impacting around 400 workers who are either former waste recycling collection officers or bin lorry drivers. The workers have a mandate to continue striking until December.
The demonstration, which began at 8am at the Wheel of Liverpool outside the conference centre, was aimed at encouraging city council leader John Cotton to join the negotiations that would break the industrial action. Sharon Graham, Unite general secretary, said the union would be “relentless” in its pursuit of a fair deal.
Banners were held aloft outside the conference centre calling on Angela Rayner, deputy Prime Minister, to “stop blocking a deal.” Some had mocked up a likeness of Ms Rayner in a black wheelie bin.
As host city, Liverpool Council leader Cllr Liam Robinson will deliver a welcome speech to delegates on Tuesday. The three-day event at ACC Liverpool will involve more than 400 speakers at around 100 events. Further fringe events will take place across the city.
It is the first time Liverpool has hosted the LGA conference. It will welcome back the Labour Party annual conference for the fourth year in a row in September.
Bags of rubbish have been seen lining the streets in Birmingham since the industrial action began at the start of this year. A Birmingham Council spokesperson told the BBC earlier this month it had made a “fair and reasonable offer” and that it remained committed to resolving the dispute.
Ms Graham said: “John Cotton needs to stop hiding from the biggest issue facing his council – the bin strikes. Birmingham residents understand exactly why the bin workers are striking: The scale of the cuts being proposed by the council are indefensible. Many of these bin workers face losing their homes.
“It’s time John Cotton stepped up, entered the room, and resolved this dispute. The protest should also put other councils attending the LGA conference on notice if they are thinking of trying to get workers to pay for mistakes made by politicians: Unite will be relentless in the fightback.”
In response to the local authority funding crisis, Unite has launched the Fair Funding campaign. The campaign calls on the government to restructure local authority debt to project jobs, pay, conditions and critical public services at councils across the country.
