Mountains of uncollected waste and rising tensions between workers and council officials have dominated life in Birmingham for over a month. What began as a dispute over pay and job security has grown into a city-wide crisis, triggering health concerns, political fallout, and unprecedented logistical interventions.
With the strike now entering its seventh week, the deadlock between Unite union members and Birmingham City Council shows few signs of easing. Amid mounting public pressure, renewed negotiations are expected to determine whether a resolution is within reach—or whether the disruption will continue to escalate.
Strike Enters Seventh Week Amid Mounting Public Health Concerns
Negotiations aimed at ending Birmingham’s prolonged bin strike are due to resume, with Unite union leaders and Birmingham City Council officials set to meet on Wednesday. The industrial action, now in its seventh week, has left large sections of the city grappling with uncollected waste and public health fears.
The dispute stems from the council’s decision to remove the Waste Recycling and Collection Officer (WRCO) role, which the union says amounts to a pay cut of up to £8,000 for about 150 workers.
According to Unite, the revised operational model reduces bin lorry teams from four to three, prompting concerns over job losses and working conditions. Despite a government-endorsed offer on the table, Unite members rejected the proposal by 97% on a 60% turnout earlier this month.
Progress in Clean-up Operations but Uncertainty Remains
Efforts to reduce the backlog of uncollected waste have intensified since the strike escalated in March. According to Communities Minister Jim McMahon, more than 26,000 tonnes of rubbish have now been removed from the streets through a “concerted effort” involving neighbouring councils, private contractors, and extended worker hours.
Over 100 bin lorries are currently in operation each day, and regular collections have resumed in parts of the city. Military involvement has remained limited to office-based logistics planning, with no deployment of personnel on the ground, despite concerns raised in Parliament.
Responding to Conservative MP Kevin Hollinrake, McMahon reaffirmed that the strike’s resolution lies between the council and the workers, stating: “The government is not the employer… it’s for the employer and the employees to reach an agreement that both can accept,”
Meanwhile, Birmingham City Council has reiterated its commitment to resolving the dispute, maintaining that workers have been offered alternative roles, driver training, or voluntary redundancy without a reduction in pay.
Council leader John Cotton described the situation as “regrettable” and said that images of the waste piling up had caused reputational damage to the city.
