Birmingham City Council will begin a consultation on compulsory redundancies next week in an effort to end the ongoing bin strike, a move Unite describes as ‘bully boy tactics’.
The local authority said the decision was ‘regrettable’ and insisted it had made a ‘very fair offer’ to the public sector union Unite.
However, Unite responded that the council was trying to ‘threaten and intimidate’ workers.
The industrial action relates to the loss of the role of waste recycling and collection officer that the union argues would mean 50 staff could lose up to £8,000 a year.
A spokesperson for Birmingham City Council said the current offer on the table would mean ‘no worker need lose any money.’
After negotiations stalled on Thursday (27 March), a council statement said: ‘We confirm that regrettably we have informed Unite representatives that next week we will formally notify and enter a period of collective consultation regarding compulsory redundancies for those who have declined all offers on the table.’
In response, Unite general secretary Sharon Graham accused the council of attempting to ‘smear’ refuse workers with ‘totally baseless accusations of threats and intimidation on peaceful picket lines.’
‘But the only threats and intimidation have come from the council itself by saying it will fire more than 70 workers who sent letters of protest about the pay cuts,’ she continued.
‘The council’s behaviour is absolutely disgusting. Bully boy tactics are just making this dispute worse – our members will not back down and neither will Unite.’
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