No-one seems to have mentioned the 'Rubbish Mountains' of Birmingham recently. Well, they're still there, getting ever bigger; Rats-n-all. It's now been 4 months since the strike began.
The continuing problem is between the hard-left Birmingham Labour Council, and the hard-left bin-men's 'Unite' Trade Union.
In the UK, it's the Trades Unions who established, and fund, the Labour Party, and they always want something in return. That 'something' is usually higher wages (as with the Train Drivers).
So the rubbish piles up, the locals don't really seem to mind, and the Rats are getting bigger and bigger.
I'm sure The Army have lorries and bulldozers that could deal with the problem in no time. Perhaps they could also dump all the sh*t on the steps of the very grand Birmingham Town Hall. That might get them off their arses; unless, of course, they're all at their second-homes in Tuscany for the Summer!
You really couldn't make it up, but the hard-left 'Unite' Union, who represent the bin-men, have now suspended hard-left deputy Prime Minister; the fragrant Angela Rayner. Things are getting heated in Rubbish-Land; no more so than at Unite's annual conference in BRIGHTON. They don't 'slum-it', do they?
At least some of the roots to this strike can be laid at the door of Tony Blair's equality legislation - claims for equal pay for distinctly different jobs that had largely male or female workforces forced the council into bankruptcy (along with some other stupid spending).
ReplyDeleteSimilar claims are causing headaches for the likes of Next and other retailers. Just another reason to despair over TB's vile legacy.
He's done quite well for himself since he quit No 10. He now has 8 homes including Wotton House in Bucks, and his main residence in Connaught Square. They say he's now worth about £100 Million.
DeleteI don't know about the ins and outs of strikes so can't comment. I am sure people don't strike just for the joy of it.
ReplyDeleteHowever, what does interest me is rubbish. Rubbish being left, rotting, stinking to high heaven. And, by far the worst, RATS. There is that old saying (I think it originated in New York) that you are never more than six meters away from a rat. The very thought freaks me out. It's not even the rat itself. After all, it can't help being a rat. They are highly intelligent animals but, and that is what makes me want to run to the hills, carriers of disease. And that's where the fun stops.
A long time ago a friend of mine suggested that - in terms of civic duty - all of us [including academics and doctors] should be mandated, every so often and on a rota, to carry out the most base/basic jobs in order to keep society functioning; or at least clean. Tall order.
Anyway, read an article yesterday about rats overrunning inner cities. The example they concentrated on was Melbourne. I can't fathom it. Remember: My concern is rats being the bearers of disease. I won't even mention the dark ages [plague]. Since "normal" pest control yields fewer and fewer results, rats becoming more resilient, the article suggests that maybe we just have to learn how to live with rats. I died.
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The Birmingham problem is, of course, self-inflicted. When you take money from people, they usually want something in return. If they don't get it, they throw tantrums! This tantrum has lasted for four months.
DeleteNot one Labour councillor in Birmingham has a holiday home in Tuscany and the bin dispute is more complicated than you imply with wage reductions and redundancies threatened. It's as it always was with trade unions - working people uniting, striving for job security and a decent living. Historically, without the positive influence of the trade union movement, workers would still be in the dark ages - used or discarded like pawns.
ReplyDeleteMy heart bleeds for them; as it does for the Train drivers, Junior doctors etc. What are we supposed to do? Die in filth just because someone wants more money??? What a terrible world we've created.
DeleteSadly the council is skint, and that's the sticking point, no one wants to lose any salary as is the case here, so drivers would have to take a pay reduction, to bring them into line with others. I did like one comment made by union leader, 'workers want a decent wage, not low wages and rely on government top ups', our systems are out of kilter.
ReplyDeleteWhere do they spend all their money? Obviously a lot goes on councilor's salaries, teaching woke nonsense in schools, and spreading left-wing propaganda. The poor workers are last on their list.
DeleteTry doing a little research Cro…I was SHOCKED at how much the councillors get paid!
DeleteWOW! I hadn't realised they earned quite as much. I was shocked too. They get more than the PM!
DeleteI strongly believe everyone should be paid a "living wage." The trash pick-up workers are essential. The alternative is rat-infested communities and disease spread. 4 months of trash on the streets with no end in sight is outrageous.
ReplyDeleteOf course they should, but sadly in this age when every so-called 'influencer' is a multi millionaire, ordinary workers are quickly dissatisfied. With Labour in power we are just beginning to see inflation rise, and it will continue to do so, meaning even more people will be demanding unreasonable pay increases, just to stay as they were.
DeleteAgain Cro, try doing some research and compare inflation before the Labour Party came into power….you might once again be SHOCKED.
DeleteInflation rose due to the Covid lockdown and world recession, but the Tories reduced it well, and left power with the strongest economy in the G7.
DeleteWhile the Conservative government might point to specific economic indicators such as GDP growth during certain years or a relatively low unemployment rate, the broader picture of the UK’s economic performance suggests that it was not the "strongest" in the G7. In fact, key challenges such as Brexit, inflation, stagnating productivity, public debt, and the cost of living crisis all undermine the idea of the UK being the economic leader in the group.
DeleteIt was the G7 themselves who declared it, not some boys in the backroom of The Conservative Club. And all that nonsense about a 'Black Hole' was denounced by their very own OBR.
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