The union leader behind Birmingham’s bin strikes has shared her verdict on the possibility of Christmas collectionsUnite general secretary Sharon Graham at the march to Birmingham City Council house on September 20(Image: Naomi de Souza / BirminghamLive)

The union leader behind Birmingham’s bin strikes has shared her verdict on the possibility of Christmas collections.

Hundreds of bin workers, their supporters and unions marched through Birmingham to Victoria Square today, September 20, protesting the ongoing dispute with the city council.

In an interview with BirminghamLive at the rally, Unite general secretary Sharon Graham insisted there was a deal to be done, despite Unite members voting this month to extend the mandate for strike action to March 2026.

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She added that a deal that was hashed out earlier this summer should be put back on the table so Unite members could vote on it.

When asked what needed to happen to achieve a deal and get bin workers back to work, the union boss said the solution was to get the government to step in.

We asked Sharon Graham: We’re coming up to Christmas collections, you voted to extend into March 2026, can a deal be done?

Ms Graham replied: “Absolutely, the deal is there to be done.

Protesters march through Birmingham in support of striking bin workers(Image: Salman Mirza)

“We were in ACAS and the ballpark deal was on the table, what they need to do is put that deal on the table, so we can put it back to the workers, that deal was done in June of this year.”

Currently, agency workers are collecting city rubbish, as the bitter dispute between union bin workers and Birmingham City Council rumbles on.

The council recently said that “although the industrial action continues, our contingency plan is working and we are collecting household waste as scheduled.”

Birmingham City Council leader John Cotton most recently said that ‘extensive negotiations’ had broken down because Unite had ‘unfortunately’ rejected offers.

Formal redundancy consultation remains under way with around 170 bin truck driver leaders affected by plans to downgrade their role. Some have accepted voluntary redundancy or moved roles.

City bin worker Danny Taylor told BirminghamLive he had been striking for nine months over job losses.

Bin worker Danny Taylor, who has been striking for 9 months. Danny, 44, explains how he retrained as a driver in the original offer, but is now facing new uncertainty in the new consultation. Pictured at Unite March on September 20

Danny, 44, explained how he retrained as a driver in the original offer, but is now facing new uncertainty in the new consultation.

Danny said: “I feel betrayed, the company I’ve worked for for 25 years, the way they’ve treated other drivers who have passed out on the driver training, to find out they’re being downgraded again, we’ve taken these tests under a lot of pressure and uncertainty.

“We’ve done what they’ve required and they’re taking that away from us as well, it’s like they don’t value us.”

Birmingham City Council latest

Confirming its current position, a Birmingham City Council spokesperson said: “While we are disappointed the dispute has not been resolved as Unite has rejected all our offers, we are continuing to make regular waste collections as we prepare to implement the new and improved service.

“This is a service that has not been good enough for too long so it needs to be transformed to one that citizens of Birmingham deserve – we cannot delay this any longer.

“Although the industrial action continues, our contingency plan is working and we are collecting household waste as scheduled.

“Our new fleet of vehicles is now fully operational and making collections across the city. They are equipped with modern safety features, including 360-degree camera systems to boost visibility and protect both crews and the public.

“By moving to a fully owned, modern fleet, the council has reduced its reliance on hired vehicles, improved reliability and consistency in household waste and recycling collections.

“As well as giving our crews the tools they need to deliver a more reliable, efficient service the new fleet supports the city’s environmental goals.

“We have been collecting an average of approximately 1,330 tonnes of kerbside waste every day, more than we did prior to industrial action, and over the last six months we have collected over 100,000 tonnes of kerbside waste.

“There has been a 22 per cent increase in tonnage of waste collected per employee and a 52 per cent improvement regarding missed collections.

“We want to see this dispute end; we understand residents’ frustration and appreciate their patience over the last few months.”