Advertisement

In pictures: Birmingham bin strikes could last until CHRISTMAS, unions warn

The long-running dispute between refuse collectors in Birmingham and their council employers could continue until Christmas, unions have warned.

The disagreement, which is over a downgrade of refuse workers’ job grades leaving to a loss in salary, saw piles of rubbish build up on streets, leaving residents outraged.

The current wave of industrial action is due to end on September 21, but Unite is balloting workers to renew its industrial action mandate, which could result see strikes continue until Christmas.

Assistant general secretary Howard Beckett said: “In the absence of a settlement, we will be balloting our members on whether they wish to take strike action and/or industrial action short of a strike after the current industrial action comes to an end in September.

“A renewed industrial action mandate could see this dispute continuing up to Christmas.

“This is the last thing that the Birmingham public and our members want, so we again today call on the city council to move up a gear and negotiate constructively.”