UNITE was fined £265,000 today for breaching terms of an injunction imposed on the striking Birmingham bin workers.But the union said it would simply pay out of money saved by reducing its affiliation fee to the Labour Party, with a Labour council’s attack on pay the cause of the dispute.High Court judge Nerys Jefford’s ruling said members and/or union officials “persuaded themselves” that the council’s ban on blocking refuse trucks did not apply to areas near the city’s depots.

The union’s general secretary Sharon Graham slammed the council’s use of “Thatcher’s anti-union laws,” describing the fine as “yet another pathetic attempt to intimidate workers and it won’t work.

“Unite is very relaxed about the fine, every single penny will come out of Labour’s affiliation fee. So, Labour will be paying for this one and any others that come our way.”

  • Egonallanon@feddit.uk
    8·
    12 hours ago

    Why do I suspect that this strike has cost Birmingham more than just negotiating with the union?