Bin workers have voted ‘overwhelmingly’ to extend their mandate for industrial action
Birmingham bin workers are protesting over proposed pay cuts and say Labour are set to lose control of Birmingham City Council next year (Image: Guy Smallman/Getty Images)
BirminghamLive readers are reacting after it was revealed that bin workers could continue strike action until March 2026, threatening a second winter of disruption to the city’s already embattled waste services.
More than 300 bin workers launched strike action in January, escalating to an all-out walkout in March, and the dispute has now dragged into its ninth month. Following a fresh vote, Unite confirmed the industrial action mandate has been extended to next year.
Unite’s national lead officer, Onay Kasab, said: “Strike action will continue for as long as necessary with Unite’s unyielding support. Politicians’ treatment of these workers, including lies about no-one losing pay and broken promises about being able to retrain in driving roles that are now nowhere to be seen, is amongst the worst Unite has even seen.
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“The only way this dispute will end is with a fair and reasonable deal for Birmingham’s bin workers.”
City council leader John Cotton insisted forced redundancies would be “very much a last resort” and said the authority was “looking to work with staff to identify alternative jobs for anyone affected.”
Talks between the council and the union have stalled since July, with no sign of a breakthrough. In the meantime, the city’s recycling and garden waste collections remain suspended, and food waste services are still “on hold” until the crippling strike is resolved.
Commenter Dominion asks: “Really? Does anyone care now as the agency workers are doing a fine job?!”
Emerald009 agrees: “It seems pointless going back now, sack the lot of them, and take on the agency workers who kept it going,”
DenW adds: “The whole of our road hopes they never come back, the agency workers are so much better!”
Whatsitallcomingtoo wants to know: “How much are the agency staff being paid? Do the agency staff have a Waste Recycling and Collection Officer role?”
Munkster says: “I don’t understand why they are complaining about losing a person on the truck. When the truck comes to collect my larger community bin, it’s just ONE man. The council will learn from the strikes that they really don’t need that extra person.
“They should get on with the redundancies as the last resort has been and gone.”
Notsilentmajority wonders: “What happened to those redundancy notices, did they get lost in the post? Perhaps the postman couldn’t make it up the driveway to their letterbox because of all the bins? Anyway, remind yourselves of this situation at the next election, and definitely the next time you see your Council Tax bill.”
Oldburyblue points out: “The union claims that the Council are telling lies and the Council accuses the Union of doing likewise. How about discussions take place in public so that we can all make up our own minds?”
Gcx replies: “The council needs to terminate them and get on with restructuring waste collection. Restructures from time to time are a normal part of business, Unite are defending the indefensible and not acting in their members interests.”
Monikal adds: “£350 per week strike pay! I personally know a driver who drives for an agency 3 days a week and two refuse workers who have a landscaping company on the side. They want to stay out!”
Fed up with Birmingham’s bin saga? What do you think should happen next? Share your views in the comments.