Birmingham City Council seeking injunction to halt some bin strike protests
Birmingham City Council is seeking an injunction to halt protests outside some of its depots amid ongoing demonstrations in support of striking bin workers.
A series of so-called “mega pickets” has been organised by the Strike Map website. They have seen trade unionists from across the country join events in the city backing members of Unite.
Hundreds of Unite members have been taking industrial action for more than a year including an all-out strike since last March in a dispute over pay.
The latest mega picket led the city council to suspend bin collections for a day.
The council has issued an application for an injunction for six months prohibiting protesting activities by “persons unknown” who, in support of strikes organised by Unite enter, occupy or block or obstruct certain depots in the city.
“The application does not seek to limit protesting activity that does not block or obstruct the provision of waste services in Birmingham, or to limit lawful picketing and protest activity carried out in accordance with the existing injunction granted by the High Court against Unite,” the council said.
Strike Map co-founder Henry Fowler said: “This is an act of pure cowardice by Birmingham City Council, backed by their unelected commissioners.
“The council’s continued escalation of this dispute has already cost taxpayers £34 million.
“Seeking this sweeping injunction shows they are more interested in wasting public money and hiding behind the courts than in resolving the strike.”
