Ex-Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has lent his support to striking Birmingham bin workers on the picket line – and warned that defeat in the dispute would lead to councils in other areas threatening wage cuts.
A day after Birmingham City Council said it had launched contempt of court proceedings against the Unite trade union over the all-out strike which began in March, Mr Corbyn said central government was underfunding local authorities.
Addressing more than 100 workers and other protesters at a “mega-picket” event outside a council refuse depot in the Tyseley area, the MP for Islington North, told the crowd: “It wasn’t the Birmingham bin workers that spent ludicrous amounts of money on the Commonwealth Games.
“And it wasn’t the bin workers who created any of the problems that Birmingham faces. They are the people that keep this city clean.
“I am here today to support you but also to make this point.
“Birmingham is not isolated and Birmingham is not alone – the financial issues that affect Birmingham are actually there in almost every local authority in the country, particularly in the big urban cities.
“And those problems are that they have not enough money. The Government is not spending enough money on local government.”
Mr Corbyn warned: “Local government services are under pressure and in many cases, even without the Birmingham model, still facing cuts.
“If we win in Birmingham and they are not allowed to cut wages, not allowed to destroy conditions, not allowed to damage the working rights of bin workers, that’s a huge victory.
“But if we lose, think which city is going to be next.
“That is the point. And so I say to the wider community – get behind the Birmingham bin workers.”
The second, so-called mega-picket, with speakers from other trade unions, following a similar event in May, involved members of 26 organisations protesting at fives sites in Birmingham and Coventry on Friday.
The city council said on Thursday night that it had had “persistent evidence” of a breach of a court order previously agreed with Unite.
A city council spokesperson said: “We are taking this step to ensure the safety of our city and the safety of our workforce, including those who are on strike.
“Our injunction prevents the blocking of our refuse collection vehicles, both at our depots and on the streets. Despite writing repeatedly to Unite for several weeks to highlight what we believe to be clear breaches of the injunction, the situation has worsened.
“Since the injunction was granted, vehicles have been blockaded on roads to and from our depots, with Unite representatives and members stepping in front of, and even leaning against, moving heavy vehicles and blocking road junctions.”
A Unite spokesperson said: “The court application is the latest distraction from the real task of resolving the ongoing dispute.
“The court papers will be subject to a careful review and the interests of Unite and our members will be fully represented at any future hearing.”
Speaking after his speech, Mr Corbyn urged the leader of Labour-run Birmingham City Council, John Cotton, not to dig himself into a hole and to settle the dispute.
Mr Corbyn said: “There has to be a settlement and they should not be facing a wage cut.
“We just don’t need to stretch this thing out.”
Asked what his message to Mr Cotton would be, he added: “John, get a deal. Get a settlement, get the bin workers back to work.
“And remember, a lot of the public support the bin workers even though obviously it (the strike) does create difficulties.”
