Latest news with #fire and rehire
The Independent
a day ago
- Politics
- The Independent
Tensions escalate between Labour and major financial backer
Unite General Secretary Sharon Graham criticised Angela Rayner 's "utterly abhorrent" conduct regarding the Birmingham bin strike, accusing her of aiding "fire and rehire" tactics. Unite is considering ending its long affiliation with the Labour Party, with Graham stating the £1.5m annual payment is "hard to justify" and members voted to re-examine their relationship. Rayner's allies countered that she resigned from Unite in April and would not be "pushed around," with a Labour source adding Unite rejected a deal that would have undermined equal pay. Graham disputed Rayner's resignation timeline, suggesting she was still a member when seeking election funds and may have recently tried to leave the union. The bin strike began over Birmingham City Council's plan to remove waste recycling roles, potentially costing 170 workers up to £8,000 annually, with talks to resolve the dispute having broken down.
The Independent
a day ago
- Business
- The Independent
Unite boss accuses Angela Rayner of ‘totally and utterly abhorrent' behaviour as clash with Labour escalates
The leader of Unite has described Angela Rayner's behaviour during recent bin strikes as 'totally and utterly abhorrent' as tensions ramp up between the government and Labour's biggest union backers. General secretary Sharon Graham hit out at the deputy prime minister after the union voted to suspend her in a row over how the Labour-run council in Birmingham treated striking bin workers. The union, one of Labour's biggest financial backers, claims fire and rehire tactics had 'effectively' been deployed against striking workers, who are taking industrial action in a dispute over pay and job conditions. In a fresh attack on Saturday, Ms Graham told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "Angela Rayner refuses to get involved, and she is directly aiding and abetting the fire and rehire of these bin workers, it is totally and utterly abhorrent." The general secretary said Ms Rayner had been "a member of our union for over 10 years". Allies of Ms Rayner have said she resigned from Unite in April. Ms Graham said the politician may well have done 'Houdini act' in recent months by trying to leave the Union, but added: "She was very clearly a member when she asked us to give her £10,000 for the election. And on our system, obviously we go by quarters, so up to the March quarter." She added: "Now, if she has over the last couple of weeks, because she's seen the mood music, because this isn't the first time that we've discussed that we're not happy with what's going on, then she may well have done that." Ms Graham hinted that the union may have to rethink its relationship with Labour, adding that Unite members have to see that the fee to affiliate with Labour is "worth something'. "At this present moment in time, it is hard to justify it, if I'm being honest,' she continued. 'Would that money be better spent on frontline services for my members? But the decision will be a serious decision. It's not a rash decision."
