Newham Bin Workers Vote to Strike. Here Comes the Summer of Discontent.

(Photo-credit; Socialist Worker!)

If you are old enough, you will recall that Labour Prime Minister, Jim Callaghan was brought down by a winter of public sector strikes, the most notable of which was the strike of the refuse workers which saw mountains of black bags built up across the country. The winter of discontent.

It seems that Newham is going to have its own summer of discontent as bin workers vote by a massive majority to take strike action. 

Unite is the dominant union on site and with 81.5% of the members voting, all but one voted for strike action.

It seems that Mayor Fiaz’s honeymoon with the unions is well and truly over.

Newham Council and Unite were in dispute exactly two years ago, when the threat of a strike was averted. Not so this time.