Unite union issues funding warning over dispute with Labour-run council

A trade union leader has warned that its financial support for Labour is under review because of a dispute between a Labour-run council and refuse collection workers.

Members of Unite in Coventry have been on strike for weeks in a long-running row over pay.

General secretary Sharon Graham said in a message to strikers on Wednesday: “Let me be very clear – the remaining financial support of the Labour Party is now under review.

“Your behaviour and mistreatment of our members will not be accepted. It’s time to act like Labour, be the party for workers.”

She has said: “The Coventry Labour council has time and again totally misrepresented the union’s claims for its bin drivers. It should be ashamed of the spin it has tried to make about its own workers’ pay rates.

“These dreadful misrepresentations are deliberately designed to enrage the general public which directly risks the welfare of workers who are taking part in an entirely legal dispute, and this, a Labour council.

“Other councils up and down the UK have increased pay rates for refuse collection drivers to preserve services due to the HGV driver shortages.

“If other councils can increase pay rates to preserve services and prevent an exodus of drivers, there is absolutely no reason why Coventry council can’t do the same.”

Ms Graham added that both regional and national funding for Labour from Unite will now be under review.

She urged Labour to “pick up the phone and get this sorted”, saying: “It’s utterly disgusting that this council is putting workers through this misery.

“If we have to escalate, we will escalate and I personally will be getting involved.

“If we have to go door to door to tell the truth about this dispute, we will do.

“Our wallet is closed to bad employers.”

Yvette Cooper, Labour’s shadow home secretary, said: “They’ve got an industrial dispute ongoing in Coventry but there’s talks under way at the moment, so obviously it wouldn’t be appropriate for me to comment on those talks while they’re continuing.”

Speaking on a visit to Birmingham on Thursday, she added: “Hopefully that will sort things as soon as possible.”