Bin men strike

adonis

moneyistooshorttomention wrote: »

Personally - I'd be checking their website to see if I could find any service standards they had to abide by (don't know what the chances of that are - in an era where Council are trying to cut bin collections??:cool:).

But no harm in checking and, if you get lucky, that there are some service standards laid down there screen shot them fast (in case they disappear) and then see if you can claim compensation for them not adhering to them.

Even if that's a "no go" as a tactic - I wouldnt advise withholding Council Tax in protest. They'll have "stronger guns" than you to bring to bear on that one and you'd be at risk of being penalised for it by them.

Also personally - there's nothing to stop you leaving their rubbish for them to collect from communal bins I guess? - ie public wastepaper bins. As a single person I guess that should be within the realms of feasibility? Human nature being what it is - it will possibly (probably....) cause other people to copy you:cool:. If they do - then that's a nuisance from a personal pov - but turn it around and start taking photos of it for local Facebook page/newspapers.

Is that allowed,

http://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/bucknall-man-fined-putting-everyday-household/story-22725005-detail/story.html

moneyistooshorttomention

adonis wrote: »

Is that allowed,

http://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/bucknall-man-fined-putting-everyday-household/story-22725005-detail/story.html

I'm surprised to read that - as I've always assumed that = council collection of rubbish is council collection of rubbish and that they would not differentiate between one's own private bin and their public bins. Either way = they are the ones collecting it so WTH??

jwil

Davesnave wrote: »

The longer answer is that when something like this happens, the best response is not to tell someone else to do something, but to get out there in concert with others and make whatever difference one can. Adversity like this can even bring the community closer together.

I know a few streets in Brum which will definitely not have bags in the street, because they're the sort of places where people look out for each other on a regular basis. There will be old codgers like me with a big van who can sit in the queues for others, and there will be strapping chaps to heft the bags where they need to go There might even be a communal bonfire or two.

As in the news videos, there will be people supporting both sides in this dispute, but getting down and a bit dirty is still something all can do, because as you say, the rats won't discriminate.

I agree with Davesnave. It doesn't matter whether you agree with the strikes or not, the dispute is ongoing, the council will do what they can to clear stuff, but why not improve your own situation and see if you can arrange to clear your own rubbish.

If that's not possible, then all the information you need is on their website. https://www.birmingham.gov.uk/info/20009/waste_and_recycling/953/update_on_daily_collections

Make sure your road is on the list of missed collections, don't just assume someone else will report it.

Manage your waste as best you can, wrap any smelly stuff/food waste (if you don't have separate food waste collections).

Don't flytip or dump rubbish by litter bins - remember you pay to clear all this up in your council tax as well, and it will cost more than just waiting for the rubbish collection. You could also be prosecuted.

By all means express your dissatisfaction - write to the council or your local Councillor, but there is no point in ranting and raving at the customer services team, and you are not going to get a refund on your council tax!

ancientofdays

I think there is an element of luck of the draw. Throughout the industrial a ton, our rubbish has been collected, occasionally a little later in the day than usual, and the only missed collection has been one recycling collection. That doesn't smell so was not a great hardship.

At the end of last week,the council did announce that they would make concerted efforts to clear the accumulation of rubbish but I am not sure of the time scale for that. Obviously people are worried about vermin and smells but we had vermin here before, nice rat anyone?

ancientofdays

I've just checked, apparently 70% has been collected now and the target for the remainder is this Friday.

Southend1

kelpie35 wrote: »

I have no sympathy for the bin men. My sympathies go to the residents.

If there was a law that allows the council to sack the striking bin men/women, I would support it.

There are plenty people who would thank you for the chance to get a job so the striking people can just accept conditions and get on a do their job.

Rather than berating innocent people who are simply trying to protect themselves and their families from attacks on their pay and working conditions, perhaps you should direct your bile towards those who are responsible for the problem in the first place - cold hearted council bosses and the Tory government which has decimated local government funding since 2010. I sincerely hope you never experience a problem at work because if everyone took your attitude then there would be nobody willing to stand up for you and your family.

Sicard

Southend1 wrote: »

Rather than berating innocent people who are simply trying to protect themselves and their families from attacks on their pay and working conditions, perhaps you should direct your bile towards those who are responsible for the problem in the first place - cold hearted council bosses and the Tory government which has decimated local government funding since 2010. I sincerely hope you never experience a problem at work because if everyone took your attitude then there would be nobody willing to stand up for you and your family.

Are you a socialist? Just kidding.

In the last 40+ years I've been Tory, Liberal and Socialist. I've always voted tactically in an effort to stabilise the politics in society. I voted New Labour to get the Tories out and Tony Blair in and even joined the Labour party and actively campaigned with leaflet drops etc. It's something I've regretted ever since.

Don't forget there are socialists and there are communists (champagne ones in the likes of Bob Crow) who try and undermine the welfare of society under the guise of 'our workers are overworked and underpaid'. I left school in the 60s and had a lot of various jobs of which people relied on my services and some of the jobs were really sh'ite but I never once considered going on strike to improve my conditions.

Southend1

Sicard wrote: »

Are you a socialist? Just kidding.

In the last 40+ years I've been Tory, Liberal and Socialist. I've always voted tactically in an effort to stabilise the politics in society. I voted New Labour to get the Tories out and Tony Blair in and even joined the Labour party and actively campaigned with leaflet drops etc. It's something I've regretted ever since.

Don't forget there are socialists and there are communists (champagne ones in the likes of Bob Crow) who try and undermine the welfare of society under the guise of 'our workers are overworked and underpaid'. I left school in the 60s and had a lot of various jobs of which people relied on my services and some of the jobs were really sh'ite but I never once considered going on strike to improve my conditions.

Strike action should always be a last resort, of course, but more fool you if you never considered it. If it weren't for working people coming together to win concessions like weekends, paid holidays, pensions and safe working practices then we would all still be working in Dickensian conditions. None of our working rights were handed to us on a plate, they were all hard fought for.

Sicard

Southend1 wrote: »

Strike action should always be a last resort, of course, but more fool you if you never considered it. If it weren't for working people coming together to win concessions like weekends, paid holidays, pensions and safe working practices then we would all still be working in Dickensian conditions. None of our working rights were handed to us on a plate, they were all hard fought for.

Ah, the theory of that is good sense but I don't know if you've noticed or not but what happens is in these situations over time is the balance of power swings too far in the other direction. It's all well and good saying power to the people but sometimes the people abuse their new found power. You just need to look at the over-inflated salaries of the union executives to see where your union dues are really going. The unions and the employers are both as greedy and self gratifying as each other and both sides have decimated many of the UK's industries as a result of this power struggle.

Do you think for one moment there aren't a barrel-load of other workers behind the scenes just waiting to pounce on the binmen's jobs for less money.

We all know that council's have to make cut-backs because they're budget's are stretched to the limit and it's their job to find ways of saving money. Maybe the money they save will be put into looking after old people better or suchlike.

Southend1

Sicard wrote: »

Ah, the theory of that is good sense but I don't know if you've noticed or not but what happens is in these situations over time is the balance of power swings too far in the other direction. It's all well and good saying power to the people but sometimes the people abuse their new found power. You just need to look at the over-inflated salaries of the union executives to see where your union dues are really going. The unions and the employers are both as greedy and self gratifying as each other and both sides have decimated many of the UK's industries as a result of this power struggle.

Do you think for one moment there aren't a barrel-load of other workers behind the scenes just waiting to pounce on the binmen's jobs for less money.

We all know that council's have to make cut-backs because they're budget's are stretched to the limit and it's their job to find ways of saving money. Maybe the money they save will be put into looking after old people better or suchlike.

It may be a quaint notion these days but I would argue that a council's main job is to deliver good quality municipal services!

As for other people being willing to work for less, of course there will always be someone more desperate but that doesn't mean we should engage in a race to the bottom. Far better to fight for quality jobs for all.

Point taken about the balance of power but if you think the current situation is balanced, you are in cloud cuckoo land! Look at the recent court case about employment tribunal fees... a huge battle because the government were determined to price working people out of access to justice. Fortunately that one was won but the overall balance of power in 21st century Britain is squarely with the employers and that can be seen in the growth of Victorian working practices, bogus self employment, poverty wages, zero hours contracts etc etc.