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Bin workers in Birmingham first walked out exactly one year ago, and union representatives say the strike shows no signs of ending soon. The industrial action began with a series of one-day strikes starting on 6 January 2025 and escalated into a full-scale strike on 11 March. This all-out strike caused rubbish to accumulate in the streets, raising concerns from the Health Secretary Wes Streeting about potential public health risks. Despite this, Birmingham City Council has confirmed plans to introduce a new waste collection system during the summer, regardless of whether strikes continue.
Although household waste collection has continued, recycling services have been suspended since February, forcing residents to either store their recyclables, dispose of them with general waste, or travel to local tips. In the Castle Vale estate, one of Birmingham’s largest housing areas, bins have largely been emptied, especially during the holiday season. The Pioneer Group, which manages housing for more than half of Castle Vale’s population, has also been actively working to maintain cleanliness. Residents such as Connie Marshall and Marie Notarantonio, who have past experience with union strikes, express sympathy for the bin workers but emphasize the desire for resolution. Marshall remarked, “I just don’t understand it, you know for so long and… [it] hasn’t come to an agreement,” while Notarantonio added, “I think council and union reps need their heads banging together.”
The strike originated from proposed changes to job roles, which Unite claims would have resulted in pay cuts of up to £8,000 a year for around 170 employees. The dispute intensified when picketers prevented waste crews from leaving depots, leading to a High Court injunction. In parts of the city like Small Heath, residents report rubbish piles going uncollected for six or seven weeks, fueling frustration in the community. Local business owner Riaz Hussain expressed his dissatisfaction, saying, “We’re paying the council tax, everything, but they never pick [up] the bins.” Similarly, Shafaq Hussain criticized the lack of transparency in negotiations and the continued deadlock.
The ongoing strike has also led to an increase in illegal dumping across certain neighborhoods. Hockley resident Stephen Message highlighted how piles of household rubbish, including items such as Christmas wrapping paper and pushchairs, have been left on parkland near New Spring Street North for over a week. He criticized the fly-tippers, saying, “I just think it’s horrible, it just shows they [fly-tippers] have no consideration for the community.” The city council stated that on 29 December, 1,753 tonnes of waste were collected from kerbside and that efforts were underway to identify the core causes of fly-tipping to address the problem
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