Court Win for Birmingham Bin Men

FOLLOWING a High Court decision supporting the Birmingham binmen in September. Birmingham City Council has had to withdraw the redundancy notices it had served on 113 binmen.  This was after a long 'Summer of Discontent' and a work-to-rule by the lads over job losses and pay cuts.

It is reported in his union's magazine Autumn issue Unite Works:'The shock redundancies came after Unite and the council agreed to an Acas deal with compromise on both sides - the coucil then reneged on the deal without warning, later prompting council leader John Clancy to resign.'

Now Howard Beckett, Unite's assistant general secretary, says:
'This judgement will be a huge relief to Birmingham bin workers, who in just a matter of weeks facing losing their job or pay cuts of up to £5,000 a year.'

MR. Beckett  called on Birmingham City Council Cheif Executive, Stella Manzie, to follow Mr. Clancy and stand down for her part in scuppering the Acas deal.

'{The High Court] ruling underlines that Unite will not shrink away from using all the tools at its disposal to defend its members and the services they deliver,' Beckett said.

'We urge the council to stop wasting further taxpayer's money in defending its dishourable actions and honour Acas deal which offers compromises on all sides and will settle this dispute once and for all.'

This dispute was caused by Birmingham Council trying to drop the grade 3 bin loader's job which would have left workers facing pay cuts of up to £5,000 to keep a position in the refuse service.