Rayner in deepening row with union over Birmingham bin strikes

Paul SeddonPolitical reporterIain WatsonPolitical correspondentGetty ImagesAngela Rayner is embroiled in an escalating row with Unite over her position within the long-running bin strikes in Birmingham.The union introduced earlier it had suspended the membership of the deputy prime minister, who has been urging putting bin staff to simply accept a deal to finish the dispute tabled by the Labour-run metropolis council.However a Labour supply stated she had already give up the union and “will not be pushed round,” branding the announcement a “foolish stunt”.The union, which says it adopted a movement accredited by delegates at its coverage convention, has insisted Rayner is on its membership system.The movement additionally threatened to rethink its relationship with Labour if any of its members are made redundant. In any occasion, by making its announcement Unite has determined to promote a really public political rift with the deputy prime minister.Unite is affiliated to Labour, giving it seats on the get together’s ruling nationwide government committee and delegates to its annual convention.It didn’t donate to the get together’s election marketing campaign final 12 months, however made donations value £10,000 in direction of Rayner’s marketing campaign, in accordance with her register of pursuits.Labour is much less depending on union monetary backing than it was underneath Jeremy Corbyn, with the get together having widened its sources of funding underneath Sir Keir Starmer.But when the union selected to disaffiliate, it might nonetheless ship a big monetary blow.Unite can also be its greatest union funder by the affiliation charges that members pay to the get together, at the moment £1.2m a 12 months. Senior union sources say the bin strike is the tip of the iceberg of discontent.What could actually sink the union’s relationship with the federal government is a spread of different points, such because the tried welfare cuts, fears for jobs within the oil and fuel sector, and a staff’ rights agenda they don’t imagine goes far sufficient. Getty ImagesUnite has commissioned posters that includes Rayner over the continued strikesMembers of Unite walked out in January over plans to downgrade some roles as a part of town council’s makes an attempt to kind out its equal pay liabilities.The dispute initially centred on the council’s choice to take away waste recycling and assortment officer (WRCO) roles – which the union stated would go away about 170 affected staff as much as £8,000 a 12 months worse off.The council has disputed this, saying the utmost loss was be simply over £6,000 and would solely have an effect on 17 staff, with pay protected for six months.The authority additionally says the position could possibly be reinstated with out opening it as much as a possible equal pay legal responsibility.Unite has additionally urged the council to ensure long-term pay for Grade 4 bin lorry drivers, claiming in April that bin lorry drivers’ pay may fall from £40,000 to £32,000 underneath new council plans.An all-out indefinite strike was introduced in March, and a deal to finish industrial motion has not but been reached.’Disgraceful’Conciliation service Acas has been mediating within the negotiations since Could, however talks broke down on Wednesday, with council chief John Cotton saying the authority had “reached absolutely the restrict of what we are able to provide”.The union has additionally beforehand blamed government-appointed commissioners, who’ve been overseeing the council’s operations since its efficient chapter in 2023, for the obvious lack of progress.Unite basic secretary Sharon Graham stated Rayner had “had each alternative to intervene and resolve this dispute”.She added that the federal government’s backing for the “so-called Labour council” had been “disgraceful”. Unite says it has additionally suspended the memberships of Cotton and different Labour councillors.”Individuals up and down the nation are asking whose aspect is the Labour authorities on, and arising with the reply ‘not staff'” she added. In a press release on X, Cotton stated Unite had “repeatedly rejected cheap gives” made by town council to keep away from “one other equal pay disaster”.Rayner, whose transient consists of native authorities, has referred to as on the union to simply accept a deal to finish the strikes tabled by town council, saying the authority had “moved considerably to satisfy the calls for of the employees”.