Police were called to a bin workers’ picket line in Leicestershire on 29 June, and union officials were physically manhandled off the picket line by council officers, with the connivance of the police. The police had announced that anyone still on the road by 9am would be arrested.
GMB members at Blaby district council were taking their first in a weekly series of four one-day strikes, and had been blocking the exit of bin lorries from the depot. Management hired agency staff in an attempt to undermine the action.
Growing union
A large number of workers were on the picket line, and the union was recruiting new members at the gate in the morning.
Refuse and grounds maintenance workers are demanding a 15% pay rise, and management have, up to now, not been prepared to negotiate.
The union reported Dave Warwick, GMB Organiser, saying: “Our members come home cold and wet after a day on the rounds and can’t afford to put the heating on. Instead of dealing with low pay, our members have been advised to go to food banks if they can’t afford the bills.”
Dave spoke to the Socialist to say: “The strike is for a decent pay rise to keep in line with the cost of living. We’re just asking to keep pace with the cost of paying the bills and feeding workers’ families.”
There will be a mass protest on Wednesday 5 July at the Enderby Road depot in Whetstone, Leicester.
Steve Score, Leicester Socialist Party
