Birmingham's striking bin workers have voted to extend industrial action past the city's May local elections and into September, Unite the Union announced today.

Both directly-employed council refuse workers and agency staff employed by recruitment firm Job & Talent backed the extension, with Unite reporting 100 per cent yes votes on a turnout of 70 per cent among council workers. The decision would take the dispute, which began with rolling walkouts in January 2025 before escalating to all-out action on 11 March, into its 20th month.

The dispute centres on Birmingham City Council's elimination of the Waste Recycling and Collection Officer (WRCO) role. Unite says the change amounts to fire and rehire, leaving around 170 bin workers facing pay cuts of up to £8,000 a year. The council disputes those figures, stating that 17 employees are affected and the maximum reduction is just over £6,000.

"Our members are more determined than ever to achieve a fair settlement, and they have Unite's unwavering support," said Sharon Graham, Unite general secretary. "The council needs to get back around the table now because strikes will not end until we have a fair deal for Birmingham's bin workers."

Negotiations further stalled

Formal negotiations between the council and Unite have not taken place since May last year, when what the union termed a "ballpark deal" collapsed. Unite says it remains open to talks but accuses the council of refusing to meet. The council has maintained it has "reached the absolute limit" of what it can offer.

Councillor Majid Mahmood responded to today's vote by calling it "disappointing" and "immensely frustrating for the residents of Birmingham." He added: "We have invited Unite on multiple occasions to make a proposal to end the strike, which we would fully and carefully consider, but they have declined to do so thus far."

A council report presented to cabinet in January put the cost of the dispute at £33.4 million, comprising £14.6 million in direct costs including street cleansing, mobile household waste recycling centres and security, alongside £4.2 million in lost bulky and commercial waste income, £4.4 million from the suspended garden waste service and £10.2 million in undelivered savings. Unite argues this figure is still likely to underestimate the true cost.

Agency workers and service reform

The dispute widened in late 2025 when agency workers employed by Job & Talent voted to join picket lines from 1 December, citing bullying, harassment and the threat of blacklisting. The move followed the emergence of a recording in October appearing to show a Job & Talent manager telling agency staff they would be banned from permanent council roles if they refused to cross picket lines. Both the agency and the council said internal investigations found no blacklisting had taken place.

The council has continued to press ahead with service reform. In December, cabinet approved the rollout of a new waste collection service from June 2026, including weekly food waste collections and a second recycling bin. The council says implementation will proceed regardless of whether industrial action continues.

The dispute has also prompted legal action on both sides. The council obtained a High Court injunction in 2025 preventing obstruction at three depot sites and has recently applied for a further injunction to restrict protest activity. Unite reports that more than 400 legal claims have been lodged by workers over pay changes.

Birmingham City Council, which issued a Section 114 bankruptcy notice in September 2023 citing historic equal pay liabilities, has argued that settling with Unite on terms the union seeks could expose the authority to further equal pay claims. Government-appointed commissioners overseeing the council's finances have backed the authority's approach, urging service reform to continue while a resolution is sought.

The extension of the strike mandate past the May elections adds a political dimension to the dispute. Birmingham holds all-out council elections in May 2026, and Unite has previously warned that the unresolved dispute is "sowing the seeds" for opposition parties to gain ground in the city.