The union Unite has said strike action is possible if Birmingham Council does not scrap plans to downgrade Waste Recycling and Collection Officer roles.
The council wrote to union’s refuse service members to announce a consultation on restructuring its waste operations, including plans to remove what Unite called the “safety-critical” Waste Recycling and Collection Officer (WRCO) role.
Unite said this would lead to staff performing the WRCO role losing around £8,000 a year on average under the plans.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Unite will not stand by and allow refuse workers’ pay, terms or conditions to be attacked by Birmingham council.
“They work incredibly hard and are bending over backwards to accommodate ever more unreasonable demands for a crisis they didn’t cause and should not have to pay for. Unite will defend our Birmingham refuse workers to the hilt.”
Unite will not stand by and allow refuse workers’ pay, terms or conditions to be attacked by Birmingham council.
A Birmingham City Council Spokesperson told Circular Online: “We can confirm that Birmingham City Council has initiated conversations with the Trade Unions ahead of consultation as part of the drive to create a modern, sustainable and consistently reliable waste collection service.”
Most of the around 150 staff performing the WRCO role have been working for Birmingham waste collection services for more than 30 years, Unite said.
The union said since the council “effectively declared itself bankrupt last September” staff have implemented route changes and accepted cuts to overtime and nighttime allowances.
Unite said staff have also worked around problems caused by what it called the council’s “ageing and breakdown prone” fleet of bin lorries.
Unite regional officer Lee Wiggetts-Clinton commented: “Birmingham’s refuse workers are sick and tired of being scapegoats for a crisis that was caused by politicians.
“They have already made major sacrifices since the council’s financial crisis unfolded to keep services running, even as their jobs have been consistently attacked.
“Plans to remove the WRCO role are viewed as a thin end of a wedge which will contain even more attempts to go after refuse workers’ pay, terms and conditions.”
