'Unacceptable costs': Fury over Birmingham bins strike as grim milestone approaches

The current industrial action, triggered by a dispute between Birmingham City Council and Unite the union, has now been rumbling on since January.

During the past 11 months or so, it has caused heaps of rubbish to pile up during its height; demonstrations outside depots and furious outbursts during council meetings.

Such disruptions continued during Tuesday’s full council meeting, when one man in support of Unite in the public gallery began shouting about how the dispute had ‘wasted’ millions of pounds.

“No apology from any of you,” he said, referring to the councillors in the chamber.

“You have lied and lied – you have scaremongered about the equal pay liability.”

Later in the meeting, after the man had been removed from the gallery by security, the Labour administration at the council faced further anger over the strike from opposition councillors.

“An end to Labour’s year-long bins strike, which is causing misery for Brummies, is no closer,” Conservative councillor Robert Alden said.

“Residents [have been swarmed] by rubbish and rats.

“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?”

Labour council leader John Cotton hit back: “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.”

Coun Cotton 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.”

‘Unacceptable costs’

The meeting also saw independent councillor Martin Brooks, who previously quit Labour, argue that the costs of the bins strike dispute were “unacceptable to the people of Birmingham”.

“When will you go back to the negotiating table?” he asked.

“I think [Coun Brooks] should have listened to the answer I gave to the leader of the opposition,” Coun Cotton responded.

“With regard to the costs of the dispute, they will be reported in the usual way through cabinet and budget reports.”

Coun Majid Mahmood, the cabinet member for environment, acknowledged the financial impact the bins strike is having on the authority while speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting Service this week.

The direct costs and loss of income from garden waste is estimated to have cost the council at least £14 million.

But a report recently said the industrial action will also have an impact on the council’s ability to make savings by transforming the waste service – a crucial project which was pushed back from April this year to June 2026.

“It would be difficult at this stage to specify exactly what the cost of industrial action is,” Coun Mahmood said. “We do have a budget meeting in February where the costs will be published.

“There is a significant cost, we can’t hide behind that fact. We want to bring [the industrial action] to an end.”

Referring to equal pay, he added: “We do know the cost of any new claims of discrimination far exceeds the current costs of industrial action.”

During Tuesday’s meeting, the cabinet member was asked by independent councillor Jane Jones whether the authority would refund residents who brought in private contractors to clear waste from community bins.

“After all, they are council tax payers and they’ve been paying a lot of council tax in recent times,” Coun Jones said.

“The simple answer to your question is no,” Coun Mahmood responded.

The dispute between the council and Unite 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.