More Birmingham bin strikes announced as dispute ramps up and they start tomorrow
Bin workers in Birmingham are to dramatically increase the number of strike days, starting tomorrow, in its dispute with the city council over planned job losses. It hopes more disruption to services will pressure city council leaders to heed their demands.
Unite the union says striking workers will now be off for 12 days this month, starting Tuesday February 4. They also plan to strike for 12 more days next month.
The dispute was sparked by the council’s decision to abolish the Waste Recycling and Collection Officer (WRCO) grade 3 role in the waste service. The role's existence has been linked to multiple equal pay claims against the council from grade 3 workers in other services, and scrapping it is seen as vital in efforts to avoid future claims.
READ MORE: Fears Stechford street is becoming a 'ghetto' as area 'ruined' by concentration of exempt hostels
But the union says the role is safety critical and will result in pay cuts of up to £8,000 for 150 workers, many of them with long service. They also fear it is the start of more cuts in the service.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “There is no justification for such huge pay cuts to workers’ wages. Birmingham council cannot just ignore this situation and hope that it will go away. It is a line in the sand for our members, who know more attacks will follow if they don’t fight back. Unite is with them 100 per cent.”
Strike action will now escalate from four days a month to 12 days a month.
The union says staff have accepted changes to their pay and terms and conditions since 2023, when the council's dire financial crisis triggered cuts. These have included the end of early starts, and proposals to switch to a fortnightly collection, which will have further job implications.
The council has also pledged to stop relying on costly employment agencies to fill gaps in its service - but then has failed to directly employ enough staff. "Disgracefully, a number of refuse workers are employed through agencies, despite having performed the role for over a decade," the union has claimed.
Unite regional officer Zoe Mayou said: “Unite’s door remains open to meaningful discussions with the council to resolving this dispute. It is the council that bears the responsibility for it escalating. Its behaviour towards its directly employed staff is vindictive and does nothing to solve the operational problems that are staring it in the face.”
We have contacted the city council for comment. It has previously said those workers affected have been offered alternative jobs, invited to retrain as drivers, or offered departure packages.