Protesters strike again as bin lorries blockaded

Published on Monday 28 September 2009 11:08

PROTESTERS have blockaded lorries being used by private contractors during the city's bin dispute for a third time in the space of a week.

Around 20 demonstrators prevented two lorries from leaving the Grassmarket by standing at the front and rear of the vehicles, while waving placards reading 'no more scabs' and 'support council bin workers'.

The group, which includes members of the Edinburgh Coalition Against Poverty (Ecap) and Industrial Workers of the World (IWW), carried out a similar protest in Blair Street last Friday, and another at the junction of Bread Street and Spittal Street last Monday.

The protest took place just after 7pm on Friday, and broke up peacefully when police asked the demonstrators to move on.

Ecap member Michael Edwards, 57, from Muirhouse, said: "New people came along to the protest on Friday night after reading the article about our last protest in the Evening News, so we think it is gaining strength. We were very pleased with the action on Friday because we stopped two lorries from operating for an hour, which is quite good going, and we will certainly be planning more actions in the near future. We are hoping to step them up even more."

A spokesman for Lothian and Borders Police confirmed that all of the demonstrators moved on peacefully when asked, and that no arrests were made.

No arrests were made at the previous two protests either.

Protester Tom Morton, 27, from Pilton, said: "I think unless something is done about this, the wages of all manual workers are going to get pushed down, which impacts on everyone. I think it is worth fighting for."

The vehicles in each instance were owned by Midlands-based hire firm WCR, while the workers were believed to have been recruited by an employment agency through job centres.

The only female to take part in the protest on Friday night, who is a member of IWW and did not want to be named, said: "I find it really useful to show solidarity and support for other workers, even although we are not in the same industry.

"I think it is really important for people to unite and show solidarity. I have taken part in the last two protests and probably will take part in the next protests as well. It will be interesting to see what happens in the next few weeks."

Meanwhile, protester Malcolm MacDonald, 60, from East Craigs, added: "I want to support the bin workers. The longer the protests go on, the more people they will attract." A council spokesman previously told the Evening News: "Our priority is to ensure people get the services they need and we don't think there will be much support for a group that would seek to disrupt that."