Birmingham Socialist Party members
On Friday 30 January, trade unionists descended on all three Birmingham bin depots for the third ‘mega picket’ called by ‘Strikemap’ since the strike of bin workers against the Labour council began in January last year.
The workers have been out indefinitely since March, and agency workers employed by Job and Talent joined the action on 1 December over bullying and harassment.
The battle started over a brutal £8,000 cut to pay, and has evolved into a class principle. On one side the workers; on the other a local Labour council, government-appointed commissioners and Labour central government. The resolve of the workers has not faulted. Each striker we spoke to, without hesitation, said they would stay out until the end.
Despite the early start and cold, wet weather, supporters came far and wide, from Sheffield to Wales, London and more.
Depots closed
The threat of mobilisations outside the gate was enough to get the remaining agency workers stood down for the day and collections postponed. The council was forced to close the depots.
Thirteen months into their strike action, the strikers at Perry Barr were appreciative of everyone who attended. Seeing the depots shut down as a result of the solidarity action provided a morale boost, especially as the court injunction still prevents them from picketing directly outside the depots.
Zack Polanski: What would Green councillors do?
Speakers included Zack Polanski, leader of the Green Party. Zack commented on the cost of living and how this has affected all workers, but didn’t explain what Green Party councillors would do, and left the picket straight after his speech, giving strikers no opportunity to ask him. No speaker commented on the looming local elections – the first in four years for Birmingham – and the opportunity to provide a no-cuts working-class alternative at the ballot box.
The best speeches came from the local reps. Mike Masters gave an impassioned speech about how, if reballoted, his colleagues would still vote for strike action.
Strikers talked about the personal impact of this strike. It has brought them closer together: colleagues who would not normally see each other every day on the job have now been standing shoulder to shoulder on the picket for months.
At Smithfield the mood was optimistic, especially following the successful school strike. Labour MP John McDonnell called for workers to hold Labour to account with the council elections coming up – without saying how – but strikers criticised him for staying with the party.
From the early hours, Atlas depot in Tyseley had a determined and confident picket line. A strong contingent from the Fire Brigades Union joined the picket, reinforcing the growing cross-union backing for the action. Regional secretary Billy Holland told the bin workers: “We won’t be told to know our place. We know our value, we know your value to society, and we won’t be bossed around by the Tories in red ties up at the council house”.
Dave Nellist: Workers should stand in ‘bin strike election’
Speakers included Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition chair and former Labour MP Dave Nellist, who called on trade unions to use their collective strength to back the dispute. He stressed the importance of turning solidarity on the picket lines into organised political and industrial pressure until the workers’ demands are met.
Dave got one of the biggest cheers of the day when he said: “If we can’t rely on establishment parties to deliver jobs, wages and services for working-class people, we have to build something new. Let’s try and find workers, like bin workers and their families, to stand and make the election on 7 May the ‘bin strike election’, and get rid of Labour cutters.”
