Politics
Birmingham bin strike ‘end in sight’
On 27 April, Birmingham City Council leader John Cotton announced that an end is now in sight for the city’s 15-month-long bin strike saga. Meanwhile, Unite—the union representing the strikers—has claimed the councillor’s statement as vindication of the workers’ long struggle.
The strike itself began back in January 2025. Birmingham Council had indicated that it planned to abolish roles within its waste service, ostensibly to bring the department in line with other comparable local authorities. Quite unacceptably, the move could have resulted in some workers being up to £8,000 a year worse off.
‘A challenging and complex process’
Today, however, Labour council leader John Cotton announced that:
After months of frustration and delay, for the first time in over 12 months, a negotiated settlement to end the bin strike is now within sight.
This has been a challenging and complex process, but after months of hard work on the principles and parameters of a deal, I believe a new, improved offer can be made and terms can be put in place that addresses the ballpark issues discussed at Acas [dispute resolution service], that Unite members can agree in order to end the strike once and for all.
A deal that would be good for the workforce, represent good value for money and would not repeat the mistakes of the past and risk creating new structural equal pay liabilities.
I want our workforce to be able to return to work and help us deliver the quality refuse and recycling services the people of this city deserve. That’s why, throughout this dispute, I have resisted those who would dismiss the striking workers instead of negotiating.
I have instructed officers to move forward with negotiations so that we can bring this matter to a close.
Because of rules restricting political announcements in the run-up to the local elections, we won’t know the exact details of the deal until after May 7. Likewise, council members will have to finalise the details of the proposals, which will then be put to the workers themselves for their approval.
The rough outline
Unite lead officer Onay Kasab indicated that the proposed terms include a one-off compensatory payment of up to £16,000 for the wronged workers. Significantly, this deal now includes compensation for the drivers, which wasn’t previously the case.
Unite also gave a rough outline of further details:
- The deal mirrors that proposed by conciliation service Acas. This means that workers will receive a minimum of two years’ cushion from the impacts of the job evaluation process. This is four times the previous 6-month proposal.
- Striking agency workers who’ve been under contact for over a year will have a path to permanent employment.
- Issues of gross misconduct will be reviewed, and other disciplinary issues quashed.
- The dispute will be treated as an authorised absence for the purposes of the workers’ pensions.
- Both sides will end their respective legal actions.
In its 27 April press release, Unite struck a triumphant tone — and highlighted the meddling of unelected commissioners dragging out the process:
This move shows the power of workers and how that can be realised when they are backed by their union.
It is an absolute abhorrence that this deal has been blocked not just once but twice by unelected unaccountable commissioners and officers at Birmingham City Council, who enjoy eye watering pay packets and no consequence for their actions. […]
The reason the offer has not yet been completed and gone to our members is because at the eleventh hour the government backed commissioners attempted to stop it, which has led to today’s statement of intent by the leader of the council.
The union also thanked West Midlands mayor Richard Parker and trade-unionist-turned-life-peer Brenan Barber. Both individuals reportedly helped bring the negotiations to a close by recognising the reasonable nature of the proposed deal.
‘The workers come first’
Sharon Graham, Unite’s general secretary, said:
As I have said on many occasions, the workers come first and we will always do everything in our power to ensure that our members are treated with dignity and respect.
The move made today by the leader of the council is a vindication of the bin workers’ struggle for a decent deal.
Over the last few months, there have been intense negotiations to get the blocked “ballpark” deal back on the table, so that our members could vote on it.
Of course, even among the happy news, the union leader was clear on the guilty parties in this whole sorry mess:
The reason why we are not yet at that stage is purely down to the vindictive interference of the government backed commissioners who have attempted to block the deal again and clearly overstepped their remit.
Their lack of both experience and industrial relations competence has been a major factor in this dispute, and their malevolent game playing has been an absolute disgrace.
The commissioner model is a licence for a few unelected individuals to print money and play games.
They have let the workers down, the people of Birmingham down and the council down.
Salute to the workers
Graham signed off with one last salute to the workers, the negotiators, and the people of Birmingham:
I salute the fortitude of my members who have needlessly been forced to endure months of attacks and hardship to get us to this point.
I thank mayor Richard Parker and Lord Brendan Barber for the important roles both have played in getting us to this point.
And I thank the people of Birmingham for their continued patience and support.
Here, at the Canary, we’re thrilled to hear of an end in sight. Here’s to a swift resolution, and news of a win for the workers and their union!
Featured image via Unsplash/the Canary
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