PROTESTERS from Coventry Confidential dressed as clowns on April Fools Day as part of their continuing campaign against the city council.
The campaigners branded councillors ‘a bunch of clowns’, criticising the authority for ‘spending millions but failing to settle the dispute’.
They claim the council has spent £2.8million trying to end the bin strike but it would only cost £300k to end.
Coventry resident Richard Milner described council tax ‘going up on April Fools Day’ as ‘a sick joke during a cost of living crisis’.
“But is not just the bin strike, there’s fly-tipping and pot holes all over the city.”
Also part of the campaign, projections relating to the bin strike were beamed onto several city buildings, including Coventry Cathedral, The Elephant Building, Lancaster Library and Coventry Council House.
Last week the city council hit back, saying: “Coventry Confidential is not the independent community group it claims to be as it is supported by the union Unite – which has organised the ongoing bin driver strikes – and this connection is stated in the leaflets it has distributed.”
The authority urged people to get in touch directly if they had issues with council services.
“These are the correct systems to use, not a disingenuous, unaccountable social media channel that presents itself as something it is not and directly attacks the reputation of the council, its elected members and officers, and does nothing to bring the council and residents together.”
The strike – over pay and Christmas working conditions – was started by 70 bin lorry drivers who were members of Unite at the end of last year,
Industrial action was stepped up throughout March.
The dispute was investigated by independent body ACAS and initially both the council and Unite agreed to abide by the decision.
ACAS ruled that the bin lorry drivers were being paid the correct – Grade 5 salary – they were already being paid.
But, despite the ruling, Unite and its members have kept up the dispute.
