Further negotiations necessary after ballpark offer at ACAS is ‘watered-down’ by government commissioners and council leader who have never been in negotiation room

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: 

“It is important to remind people what the dispute is about: Bin workers in Birmingham waking up one morning and being told their pay would be cut by up to £8,000. For some up to a quarter of their pay. Putting their mortgages, rents and livelihoods at risk.

“The government and the leader of the council have been attacking these workers for weeks for defending themselves and their families by striking, whilst briefing the public that these workers should accept an offer on the table that never existed.

“After weeks and weeks of saying one thing in public and another to workers, the government commissioners finally allow a proposal to be put on the table.

“The proposal is not in line with the ballpark offer discussed at conciliation (ACAS) and has clearly been watered-down by the government commissioners and the leader of the council, who were not in the negotiating room.

“Numerous deadlines were missed. In fact, what was to be tabled 48 hours after the ACAS talks, arrived as a much watered-down proposal, yesterday evening, three weeks later. Unite will be consulting with our reps over the weekend and will give a detailed response to this watered-down proposal, in advance of a reconvened ACAS meeting. The actual decision makers now need to be in the room at the further ACAS talks.

“The treatment of these workers has been an absolute disgrace and this Labour council and Labour government should hang their heads in shame. It is little wonder many workers in Britain are turning away from Labour when they allow workers to be treated like this.

“Unite will not allow these workers to pay the price for another crisis not of their making.”

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.