Birmingham Council accused of ‘dragging the city’s reputation into the gutter’ as bins strike hits one year milestone

Today marks exactly 12 months since the industrial action began, a moment which was followed by heaps of rubbish piling up outside homes during the height of the strike.

The sight of uncollected waste in the streets of the Second City sparked national and global headlines while tales of ‘cat-sized rats’ became a topic of conversation in Brum and beyond.

Now with the strike reaching another bleak milestone, local Conservative councillors have once again urged the council to resume negotiations with Unite the union amid fears for the city’s reputation.

Councillor Robert Alden, leader of the opposition, said: “The world has watched Birmingham Labour […] drag our international reputation into the gutter as the city becomes synonymous with images of rats and rubbish.

“Meanwhile, the council leader continues to refuse to lead.

“The Local Conservatives continue to call for the council and union to put residents first and end the strike.”

Last year saw Labour councillors and government ministers downplay the idea that the bins strike would seriously harm Birmingham’s reputation.

Councillor Majid Mahmood, the Labour cabinet member for environment, said last March: “I don’t think the reputation of Birmingham has taken a hit.

“Yes, we’ve got industrial action and we’re dealing with it.”

He went on to say that the council wanted to “bring Birmingham to the reputation we want which is the cleanest, safest and greenest city in the country.”

The following month, council leader John Cotton was asked whether his party was downplaying the impact of the strike on the city’s reputation.

“I’m a proud born-and-bred Brummie, I’ve never lived anywhere else,” he said at the time. “It pains me personally when I see some of the images on the streets of this city that are then being transmitted nationally.

“It’s telling a story about this city that many people would not recognise.

“But we also have to be realistic about the fact we have a waste dispute underway and that is causing real problems for certain parts of the city which is why we’ve undertaken the contingency operation.

“I also know there’s another story about Birmingham which is about the record levels of investment coming in, the big businesses that are locating here and creating jobs for Brummies.

“That’s really what we want to be talking about, the story of the city when we’re talking nationally and internationally.”

Last year also saw former local government minister Jim McMahon say that Birmingham “will always have a reputation of being a fantastic, thriving city”.

But the disruption and unwanted headlines could continue into 2026, with Unite saying the strike action could continue beyond May’s local elections.

The council’s leadership has repeatedly face calls to resume bins strike negotiations with Unite after they ended last summer.

The council said at the time that it had ‘reached the absolute limit of what we can offer’.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said in December that the council “should stop disgracing itself and get back to talks to find a fair resolution for the bin workers”.

At a recent meeting, Councillor Alden issued a similar demand, saying: “How many more months of bins strike misery do residents have to endure before the [council] leader will finally lead and meet with Unite to try and end the strike?”

Councillor Cotton said: “I’m disappointed to see the leader of the opposition take a stance that is absolute at variance with how we deal with industrial relations matters – not just in this local authority but every local authority around the country.

“It is right and proper that the political leadership of this council sets the policy, strategy and expectations – and that we look to the head of paid service and professional officers to undertake those negotiations with trade union representatives.”

The Labour council leader went on to argue that Unite had rejected a “succession of fair offers” that had been put on the table.

“[Unite] has asked us for stuff that frankly this council will not and cannot concede because it would reopen all of the challenges that we have faced over equal pay,” he said. “Challenges that we’re bringing to a close.”

“I would like to see this dispute brought to a close – but what I will not do is put at risk the financial viability of this council.”

Government-appointed commissioners have also recently suggested that resuming negotiations is no longer a ‘viable option open to the council.

The bins strike dispute was initially sparked by the loss of the Waste Recycling and Collection Officer (WRCO) role.

Striking workers have raised concerns about pay while the Labour-run council’s leadership has repeatedly insisted that a “fair and reasonable” offer had been made.