When is a strike not a strike? When it’s a scam…
Well, as the Brighton Bin Strike rumbles on it is rapidly become clear that a public health disaster is imminent. Here are three examples I snapped on the way into work this morning:
Officially the 5-day strike comes to an end today and the City clean workers are supposed to return to work tomorrow morning, but on a “work to rule” which means the backlog will not be cleared over the weekend.
For next week the strikers have made plans for what they call “strategic action”. There are basically three groups of workers involved in the dispute: (i) refuse truck drivers; (ii) refuse collectors; and (iii) street cleaners. The plan is that groups (ii) and (iii) will go back to work, but (i) will remain on strike. This means that groups (ii) & (iii) will turn up for work, and receive full pay, but will be unable to carry out any of their duties because of the absence of drivers to drive the trucks essential for their operation. In effect, the Council Tax payers of Brighton & Hove will be paying for two out of the three groups but not getting any work in return. Presumably future action will rotate these groups, with a similar result.
People can make up their own mind about this tactic, which is intended to ensure that CityClean workers do not lose their entire income while on strike. My view, for what it’s worth, is that it is both cynical and immoral. Effectively, the CityClean operatives are planning to help themselves to Council Tax payers’ money in order to fund the strike, while still expecting the general public to endure the stench and filth generated by their decision to withdraw their labour. I began with some sympathy for the strikers, but I’m afraid if they persist in this action that sympathy will disappear entirely.
A strike is a strike, but the plan for next week is not a strike. It’s a scam.
Meanwhile, the other party to the dispute, Brighton & Hove City Council, is doing exactly nothing to resolve it. The strikers action, however, is not hurting them, it’s hurting the ordinary people of the city. It’s just a question of time before someone is injured (e.g. by broken glass) or contracts a disease from the rotting garbage littering the streets. Hundreds of small businesses, already struggling with the recession, many of which are dependent on the tourist trade for their income, will be forced under. The selfishness and intransigence of both sides is unconscionable. Moreover, the Council has a statutory responsibility to provide a refuse collection service, which is is clearly unable and/or unwilling to do.
We’ve reached the point where the national Government should intervene. And quickly.
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In the Dark 
June 20, 2013 at 10:21 am
Have you contacted your local councillor?
June 20, 2013 at 10:25 am
On several occasions. The problem is that the elected Council members handed over the new pay system to unelected Council officers, so they now claim they can’t do anything about it.
June 20, 2013 at 11:16 am
That sounds like it’s either a half truth or the council is laughably inept. Either way you should direct your anger at them, unless you don’t think the workers have a reasonable cause to strike in the first place. Even in this “scam” as you put it, the workers are presumably on 2/3 pay and have to be on picket lines during their working hours. If they do have a reasonable cause its pretty horrific to force them back to work because they can’t afford food and rent.
June 20, 2013 at 12:18 pm
I’m angry with both sides, actually!
But if you go on strike that means withdrawing labour and not getting paid. If you’re not prepared to accept that you shouldn’t go on strike.
June 21, 2013 at 9:42 am
Why?
June 21, 2013 at 11:20 am
because that’s what a strike is. You can’t have your cake and eat it.
June 21, 2013 at 1:06 pm
Apparently they did? So they can.
June 21, 2013 at 1:29 pm
That’s what they were proposing, but have not actually done.
June 21, 2013 at 2:24 pm
I guess that my point is I was upset that your argument was just tautology.
June 21, 2013 at 7:08 pm
I don’t think it is a tautology.
June 20, 2013 at 10:41 am
You did say on January 16th that you appreciated Brighton’s essential seediness.
Are CityClean private contractors…?
June 20, 2013 at 11:01 am
This is a bit more than seedy…it’s toxic!
According to this, CityClean is an in-house department of the Council:
http://www.brighton-hove.gov.uk/content/environment/recycling-and-rubbish/meet-your-cityclean-team
The workers’ wage slips are from Brighton & Hove City Council.
June 20, 2013 at 11:30 am
I do hope the situation is resolved before your UCAS visits start in the autumn.
June 20, 2013 at 12:36 pm
Civil servants can and do strike in the UK.
June 20, 2013 at 8:54 pm
Civil servants are those who work for the Civil Service, an organization that has many departments but which is basically responsible for putting government policy into practice. It does not include, e.g. policemen and firemen.
June 21, 2013 at 1:41 am
Bin there, done that…
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2012187/Southampton-festers-MILLION-bin-bags-collectors-6-week-walk-out.html
It lasted a couple of months. Huge pain but no-one died and the army wasn’t required. Good luck, hopefully Brighton’s problem will resolve itself!
October 8, 2013 at 11:30 pm
The enemy within….. Margaret Thatcher was wonderful. Her views on strikes and the condemnation of them is fully understandable when situations like this occur.
October 9, 2013 at 8:06 am
I don’t agree about Thatcher at all. She’s the reason our society is so divided. I think workers should have the right to strike too. There are always those who abuse the rights they have, however. The strike was unnecessary and damaging, but happily has now ended. Meanwhile the rich continue to avoid paying their fair share of tax,