Labour has been a disgrace and should hang their heads in shame

Missing in action Birmingham council leader John Cotton’s threats to effectively fire and rehire striking bin workers shows Labour is complicit in attacking workers.

The bin workers are striking over pay cuts of up to £8,000 – up a quarter of their wages for some – and have an industrial action mandate until December. They have been told to accept these lower terms or be made redundant.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Let's be very clear, what Birmingham city council has proposed is fire and rehire in a Labour council under a Labour government.

“Council leader John Cotton has never been in negotiations and Angela Rayner, who is responsible for the government commissioners, is now complicit in the fire and rehire of these workers. 

“Yet again workers are being asked to pay the price for the incompetence of this Labour council and Labour government.  

“It is little wonder workers are deserting Labour in droves when they seem to be hell bent on attacking workers and leaving the super-rich totally untouched. 

“This should not be happening under a Labour government that promised a new deal for working people. It turns those promises into a complete joke.

“But let me be clear, the threats won’t work. Angela Rayner and John Cotton’s shambolic mismanagement of this dispute just makes it more likely that the strikes will continue into Christmas and beyond.”

ENDS

For media enquires ONLY contact senior Unite communications officer Ryan Fletcher on 07849 090215 or 020 3371 2065.

Email: ryan.fletcher@unitetheunion.org

Unite is Britain and Ireland’s largest union with members working across all sectors of the economy. The general secretary is Sharon Graham.