Cliff Notes – Birmingham bin workers ‘shouldn’t give up’
- UB40 expressed support for striking Birmingham bin workers, urging them to continue their fight for fair wages amid rising living costs.
- The government and Birmingham City Council have appealed for the union to accept what they describe as a “fair and reasonable offer.”
- Workers on the picket lines fear significant financial loss, with some claiming they could be up to £600 a month worse off if they concede to current terms.
UB40 say striking Birmingham bin workers ‘shouldn’t give up’
Birmingham band UB40 say the city’s striking bin workers and their union should “keep fighting” in their dispute over pay.
It comes as the government and the council urged them to accept a “fair and reasonable offer”.
“We’re fully on their side,” drummer Jimmy Brown said. “I think they shouldn’t give up, they should still be fighting.
“Working people shouldn’t have to take a reduction in their incomes, which is what we’re talking about here.
“We’re talking about people being paid less and it seems to me with prices going up, heating, buying food, inflation and rents going up then people need a decent wage to have a half decent life… keep going boys!”
Members of the Unite union in Birmingham earlier this month
Workers joined picket lines again on Thursday, with some fearing they could be up to £600 a month worse off if they accept the terms.
“We have total utter support for the bin men and all trade unions,” said guitarist Robin Campbell.
“The other side is always going to say they’ve made a reasonable offer – the point is they’re the ones who’ve messed up, they’re the ones who’ve gone bankrupt, they’re the ones now trying to reduce the bin men’s wages.”
About 22,000 tonnes of rubbish accumulated on the city’s streets after a major incident was declared last month by Birmingham City Council