{"id":13342,"date":"2017-09-12T17:14:58","date_gmt":"2017-09-12T16:14:58","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/unitelive.org\/?p=13342"},"modified":"2017-09-13T12:06:35","modified_gmt":"2017-09-13T11:06:35","slug":"will-not-break-us","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/?p=13342","title":{"rendered":"‘You will not break us’"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/div>\n

Amid twists and turns <\/a>in the ongoing Birmingham bins dispute — in which the council reneged on a deal reached through conciliation service Acas, prompting the council leader to resign — Unite assistant general secretary Howard Beckett moved an emergency resolution on the sanctity of Acas deals at TUC Congress today (September 12).<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Highlighting the Birmingham refuse workers dispute, he slammed the Labour council for \u00e2\u20ac\u015bdoing the job of Tories and working out on working people.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bBirmingham city council has a history of Tory mismanagement but the sins of today are very much on Labour’s watch,\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 he added.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The dispute revolves around bin loaders who have safety critical responsibilities \u00e2\u20ac\u201c they are the eyes and ears of the driver and help prevent tragic accidents.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

These grade 3 loaders who keep the public and their colleagues safe, Beckett explained, will see them downgraded to grade 2 under the Labour council\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s proposals, effectively slashing their pay from \u00c2\u014119,000 a year to \u00c2\u014115,000.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Beckett noted how through the conciliation service Acas, a deal was reached that protected the grade 3 workers\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 pay.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

But just two weeks later, the council issued redundancy notices to 113 Unite members \u00e2\u20ac\u201c in the process reneging on the Acas deal, denying its existence and ignoring collective agreements giving them 4 weeks\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 notice of redundancy.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Beckett laid the blame squarely on the shoulders of Stella Manzie, a chief executive officer who receives \u00c2\u0141180k a year and who has claimed a \u00c2\u0141160k in expenses.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bStella Manzie is wedded to austerity,\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 Beckett told Congress. \u00e2\u20ac\u015bShe is a Tory.\u00c2\u00a0 Be in no doubt that these cuts are intended to be the thin end of the wedge.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He said that Manzie was a \u00e2\u20ac\u015bchief executive using the spectra of intervention to bully a Labour council and \u00e2\u20ac\u015ba person who takes delight in bullying the low paid, happy to take home hundreds of thousands while slashing the wages of the lowest paid.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bOur members deserve better,\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 Beckett told conference, as he recounted stories of bin workers and the struggles they face \u00e2\u20ac\u201c one who was recently crushed at the back of a wagon, whose legs were broken and spleen ruptured.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Another member acted up to a grade 3 for almost 4 years to finally receive confirmation of his grade 3, only to receive a notice of redundancy two weeks later. Another member took out his first mortgage six months ago and now faces selling his home.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Beckett paid tribute to Unite convenor Richard, single parent of a 13-year-old girl, widowed after his wife died of a sudden heart attack four years ago.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bHe is Labour to his core,\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 Beckett said. \u00e2\u20ac\u015bHe is standing strong protecting members who cannot afford to lose thousands from their already low wages.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bHis core is not shared by Labour councillors — councillors who talk of hard decisions in language that has no place in a socialist Labour party,\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 he argued. \u00e2\u20ac\u015bThose councillors should feel physically sick at the thought of working people losing thousands.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bBut let\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s be honest \u00e2\u20ac\u201c a Labour council that does not stand up for our members is of no use to our movement. If they sound Tory, talk Tory and act like Tories then they deserve to be called Tory,\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 Beckett affirmed.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bI say clearly to these councillors that if you continue to act like Tories then Unite in the region will deal with you as if you are Tories.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Beckett told Congress that the union is taking the case up in court this week to force the council to keep the Acas agreement \u00e2\u20ac\u201c and in the meantime Unite will be balloting its members for further industrial action.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bThe strike will continue because our members have something deep inside that the likes of Stella Manzie will never have,\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 Beckett said. \u00e2\u20ac\u015bThey have a strength from each other.\u00c2\u00a0 They are strengthened by disputes of the past and know their dispute is a strength for others.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bThey know that every x on the ballot paper is a dagger to Manzie — telling her very clearly that no matter what monies you earn, no matter your power you will not break us.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Calling on Labour councillors to look deep inside and remember why Labour matters \u00e2\u20ac\u201c standing up for workers and their wages \u00e2\u20ac\u201c Beckett urged Congress to support the emergency motion to protect Acas deals.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The resolution was passed.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Watch Howard Beckett give his speech in the video below:<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n