Breaking – Birmingham City Council claims union has ‘persistently breached’ court order
Bin lorries staffed by agency workers are delayed by striking members of the UNITE trade union on July 9, 2025 in Birmingham, England.(Image: Guy Smallman/Getty Images)
Birmingham City Council has applied to take binworkers’ union Unite back to court for alleged ‘contempt’ to stop pickets blocking waste trucks.
The move was revealed amid claims that pickets and supporters have ‘persistently’ breached a high court order covering strike action near the city’s three bin depots.
The union has denied any wrongdoing.
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Last month the High Court backed the council’s bid to stop pickets blocking bin trucks getting out of Birmingham’s depots to collect rubbish ‘indefinitely’.
The order, which was agreed by the union, stipulated a series of rules that the union had to obey, including limiting the number of designated pickets to six, and rules about where they could stand.
It reinforced existing strike laws and set out how striking workers could behave. It carried a strict warning that states ‘if you disobey this order, you may be found guilty of Contempt of Court and may be sent to prison or fined or your assets may be seized.’
The ruling marked a major escalation in the council’s ‘get tough’ approach to the ongoing strike, after weeks of delicate discussions and police intervention.
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Since then formal negotiations between the council and union have ended in a stalemate. The council has begun collective consultation over the futures of 127 bin truck drivers affected by its plans to downgrade their roles and pay.
In a statement tonight a council spokesperson said they have applied for ‘contempt of court’ proceedings against Unite the union due to persistent evidence of a breach of the court order which the union have agreed to and are required to comply with.
“We are taking this step to ensure the safety of our city and the safety of our workforce, including those who are on strike,” a council spokesman said.
“Our injunction prevents the blocking of our refuse collection vehicles, both at our depots and on the streets. Despite writing repeatedly to Unite for several weeks to highlight what we believe to be clear breaches of the injunction the situation has worsened.
“Since the injunction was granted, vehicles have been blockaded on roads to and from our depots, with Unite representatives and members stepping in front of, and even leaning against, moving heavy vehicles and blocking road junctions.
“This is dangerous and a serious health and safety risk for the public, the protestors and our workers as well as causing delays to waste collections and to traffic around the city.
“We have said all along that we support the right to peaceful protest and picketing and nothing in our court application today prevents or restricts that or prevents anybody from going on strike.
“The injunction has ordered Unite to ensure all pickets and protests are done safely and lawfully. However, nearly every day Unite representatives are blocking roads, slow walking in front of vehicles and abusing our workforce.
“We will now go to court to ensure the safety of all involved and that the terms of the injunction – which has been agreed to by Unite – is adhered to.”
Earlier today the union said of complaints about disruption: “Our members, as always, are engaged in peaceful and lawful picketing.”