An interim injunction is said to be in place after more than 12,000 tonnes of waste went uncollected this week
Striking bin men walked in front of bin lorries leaving Birmingham City Council’s depot in Redfern Road in Tyseley
Birmingham City Council has been granted a court order which will stop bin lorries from being blocked from leaving waste depots – at least temporarily.
The interim injunction is said to ensure that picketing and protests at the authority’s three depots – located in Perry Barr, Kings Norton and Tyseley – will be in line with the law.
It comes after striking bin workers once again resumed their ‘go-slow’ tactics of blocking bin lorries from leaving the depots on time.
READ MORE: Fear Birmingham could reach ‘crisis point again’ as bin bags pile up
West Midlands Police had also reportedly reduced the number of officers at the three sites.
The force confirmed the use of powers to keep protesters behind barriers, under Section 14 of the Public Order Act, were “no longer in place”.
Late on Friday the council secured an interim injunction which would last until Thursday next week when a further legal hearing will take place.
A council statement read: “We have seen an increase in disruption at our depots, with workers and vehicles being prevented from doing their jobs.
“This has in turn led to a backlog of approximately 12,800 tonnes of waste on the streets.
“We have been negotiating with Unite since the start of this strike around the behaviours we have seen at our depots, and whilst everyone has a right to protest, the council has a public health duty to uphold and clearing waste is central to this.
“We believe that these actions are in breach of the law. As a result, the council issued Unite’s lawyers with a letter before action at the start of the week.
“We were subsequently given assurances in writing that there would be a change at the depots.
“This has not happened and they have breached those reassurances this morning by again not allowing our trucks to leave.
“Therefore, the council has taken the decision to proceed with an application to the High Court for a legal injunction to restrict the unlawful behaviour.
“This is not something we wanted to do and have given Unite many opportunities to co-operate with us and avoid this course of action.”
The council added that the health and safety of people in the city is “vitally important”.
It added: “The council has been forced to take this action to prevent waste accumulating across our city, impacting deprived communities the most.
“Our priority is to deliver a reliable waste service to the people of Birmingham.”
Birmingham’s refuse workers walked out indefinitely on March 11.
Unite, the union representing the striking staff, says negotiations with the council to reach a pay deal agreement have been “a shambles”.
It called on the council to “stop playing games”.
Both parties are expected to resume talks next week.