Ministers sitting on hands over bin strike - union

The government is sitting on its hands over the Birmingham bin strike as negotiations in the dispute descend into farce, a union boss says.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham has told Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner the government can no longer say it is "nothing to do with us. We can't get involved".

In a letter to Rayner, leaked to the BBC, Graham also claims "false narratives" have been used in government statements on the dispute that has left more than 17,000 tonnes of waste on city streets.

The city council said it was grateful for governmental support, while during a city visit, local government minister Jim McMahon urged parties to "redouble their efforts" to find a solution.

"Every attempt being made to solve the dispute by Unite negotiators in the room, is being met with 'a computer says no' answer," Graham told Rayner in her letter.

Unite has claimed a planned restructuring of Birmingham's refuse service would see 50 workers lose £8,000 a year and about 20 lose £2,000 per annum.

However, the local authority rejects that and says under its pay restructuring plan a total of only 17 workers would face up to a £6,000 loss per year. Councillors have added that under other deals offered, "no worker needed to lose a penny".

"Let me be very clear that the pay of these workers is being cut by a Labour council under your watch. That is a fact that can't be avoided," Graham wrote to Rayner.

"The current escalation increasingly looks like a declaration of war on these workers."

In a statement to the House of Commons on Tuesday, local government minister Jim McMahon relied on "false narratives" around the proposals and demonstrated a lack of understanding about the dispute, Graham wrote.

She goes on to argue councillors involved in negotiations have no power to make decisions.

"This predetermined charade is played out after 'consultation' with those outside the room - namely the government-appointed commissioner Max Caller, who is directly under your department and your authority," she said.

"Mr Caller is supposed to be acting in an advisory capacity. However, he has been acting as the principal decision maker."

Caller was brought in by the previous Conservative government in 2023, when the council declared itself essentially bankrupt, having paid out more than £1bn in equal pay claims.

The payouts were part of a wider financial crisis that left the council with the greatest level of debt of any local authority in England.

"I am of course acutely aware of the financial position of the council," wrote Graham.

"But it is clear to me that my members' pockets are being picked to make savings due to historic debts.

"Indeed, Birmingham council are currently making repayments (including interest) of £250m per year, almost all of it to the Treasury, on a £3.9bn debt."

While accepting the government has no "appetite for debt cancellation", she said reducing the repayment period and the rate of interest the council is paying the government over its debts could be reviewed.

"We need to have an emergency meeting with the leader of the council, regarding debt restructuring and immediately investigate the role of the commissioner in the dispute," she said.

"We can then remove the threat of cutting £8,000 per year from our members‘ pay packets and discuss sensible solutions."

Without addressing these problems with councils more widely, Graham said "we are looking at a full-blown crisis in local government".

So far, there seems no sign of a resolution in the strikes and the Unite general secretary has been notable largely by her absence.

Apart from giving a few quotes, Sharon Graham has not been on picket lines, and has failed to give interviews attacking the council or the government.

However, as her letter indicated, senior figures have been having conversations behind the scenes.

With some union members under threat of redundancy and the declaration of a major incident just this week, the council position appears to be hardening. This letter to the deputy prime minister seems to be an attempt to change that.

At a meeting with Birmingham City Council's senior officers, commissioners and political leadership, McMahon re-stated the government's support as well as pushing for the strike to come to an end.

"Residents want this rubbish dealt with as soon as possible and I have made it clear in today's meeting that we're ready to support to improve conditions on the ground," he said after the meeting.

"It is in the interest of all parties, and most importantly Birmingham's residents, that this strike must be brought to a close with all parties redoubling efforts to get around the table and to find a resolution."

The city council said the need to "modernise the waste service and eliminate any future equal pay risk" was unrelated to its debt issues.

The local authority has paid out more than £1bn in equal pay claims since a landmark case was brought against it in 2012.

"A fair and reasonable offer remains on the table which would bring this dispute to an end," a spokesperson added.

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