‘WE need a national strike to win this now,’ striking Birmingham binworker Dean Harris, Unite Rep at the Atlas refuse site picket line told News Line yesterday.
The 300 bin workers who have been striking for over one year now against £8,000 pay cuts held a megapicket, with around 100 strikers at each of the three picket line sites joined by trade unionists and supporters from around the country from 5.30am.
The Labour Birmingham City Council is seeking to cut their pay by more than £8,000 a year.
Dean Harris told News Line: ‘Birmingham City Council is not talking to us, but the lads won’t give up, we will stay strong.
‘A load of letters went from Labour MPs to Starmer this week telling him to sort things out, but he won’t listen.
‘He’s supporting the Labour Birmingham Council which is trying to cut our pay.
‘We’re proud of our members here in Birmingham who are setting an example to the whole country.
‘If they were to beat us, they would move on to all the council departments, as well as teachers, firefighters and all the other councils in the country would follow suit.
‘Birmingham has spent £33 million to try and break our strike and they have failed.
‘But that shows how important it is and that’s why we need a national strike to win it now.’
Striker Keegan Rutherford told News Line: ‘It’s all wrong, isn’t it, taking money away from people who get up early to go to work.
‘To sit in a position and say this type of work merits a pay cut, people sitting in a warm office and making such judgments on work, they’ve never experienced in their lives is contemptible.
‘We do hard and dangerous work. To be honest, this should be one of the highest paid jobs in the land.
‘We need to keep on going. We are getting stronger and we are going to win.’
Wendy Yarnold said: ‘I’ve been at this job for 10 years in July and I’m going to stick it out to the end.
‘I was a WRCO grade, a critical safety role at the back of the wagon. We deal with members of the public.
‘They are trying to do away with health and safety in pursuit of profit. During the past 12 months, I’ve had to learn to become stronger.
‘I work for Birmingham City council, and I also rent off them. The £8,000 they are trying to take off me in the year is my whole rent for the year.
‘My kids have found it hard to see me so fed up, especially around Christmas, but they support me all the way.
‘Even my granddaughter. She had to choose a hero at school and she chose me.
‘She put on my uniform and went in. She’s nine years old. She dressed up as me and said, my nanny is a supernanny. We’re fighting for the next generation and we’re going to win.’
• Full report in Monday’s News Line
