Latest news with #ShafaqHussain
BBC News
11-06-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Bordesley public meeting calls for end to Birmingham bin strike
About 150 people have attended a public meeting calling for the union Unite and Birmingham City Council to resolve the ongoing strike by bin all-out strike began 13 weeks ago in a dispute over pay, and the union has warned the strike could last until December after members voted to continue the Hussain from End the Bin Strike, who organised the meeting in Bordesley, said the dispute had gone on too long and had seen an "unacceptable" environmental City Council said it had made a "fair and reasonable offer" and remained committed to resolving the dispute, but Unite said members still sought an "acceptable" deal. The meeting heard calls for council tax to be reimbursed and for residents to organise a bulk delivery of waste to the council have previously called for a council tax refund, to which the council said it was a legal responsibility to pay the Hussain, who estimated about 150 people attended the meeting, said talks held at the arbitration service Acas had failed and people now wanted an independent panel to be created to take over said the all-out strike began on 11 March, but on-off action had started in January, adding: "That's a long time." Residents had wanted council leader John Cotton to attend, Mr Hussain said, but he question raised was whether commissioners overseeing the council's financial situation were involved in the dispute and what they were doing."If the commissioners or the leader of the council are not negotiating directly with the union, there is going to be a stalemate," Mr Hussain public meetings will be held across the city, Mr Hussain said. A council spokeswoman said the authority recognised the "significant impact" the industrial action had on people and it was grateful to community groups who were working to clear spokeswoman said Cotton did not attend as it would not be appropriate for him to take questions on specifics of the negotiations and offers, which were sensitive, and complex legal matters. Follow BBC Birmingham on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
Yahoo
29-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Community panel call to help resolve bin strikes
Residents in Birmingham should be involved in talks over bin strikes, a campaigner has said. All-out strikes began in the city earlier this month and bin bags have piled high on many streets, with an increase in rats and other vermin reported. On Saturday, several bin lorries were swamped by hundreds of people outside Al Hijrah mosque in Small Heath, eager to get rid of their rubbish. Shafaq Hussain, from the End Bin Strike Campaign Across Birmingham, said if the Unite union and the council could not agree, "they should have an independent arbitration or independent panel from the community who can sit down together" and look at issues. Negotiations between the two parties collapsed on Thursday and the local authority has threatened compulsory redundancies. Talks are set to resume on Monday and Unite said it remained determined to reach a resolution. The union started its all-out strike on 11 March, although a series of walk-outs have affected refuse and recycling collections since January. The dispute centres on the loss of a job role, which Unite said would see about 50 workers lose £8,000 a year, and about 20 lose £2,000. The council disputes the figures and added that its offer meant that "no worker need lose any money". It said that offer remained on the table. Hundreds of people flocked to the mosque on Hob Moor Road on Saturday, where trucks were parked, to offload their rubbish. Mr Hussain said the waste collection had been organised to support the community. He said the number of people who turned up was not unusual. "This is a reflection of what is happening when [this] kind of bulk collection has been organised by the community... and what we're seeing across Birmingham, this is the kind of footfall we have," he said. The community campaigner said people were "very angry and disappointed" the council and union had not reached a resolution. "Some common sense should prevail," he said. "If they can't resolve this issue themselves, then they should have independent arbitration including some members of the community who are competent enough to get them together around the table and find a solution." Asked about the threat of compulsory redundancies, Mr Hussain said residents had sympathy for "workers' rights", but they were also asking the union and workers to come to an agreement "where the community's not being [held] to ransom". Follow BBC Birmingham on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram. Union hopes over bin strike redundancy plans Striking bin workers may face losing jobs - council Councillor cancels Unite membership amid bin strikes Bin strike residents using skips demand tax refund Unite the Union Birmingham City Council
