Birmingham’s month-long bin strike will continue after refuse workers overwhelmingly rejected the city council’s latest pay offer, leaving mounting piles of uncollected rubbish across the city.
The Unite union announced 97% of voting members rejected the proposal, with a 60% turnout. The dispute centers on the council’s plan to eliminate Waste Recycling and Collection Officer (WRCO) roles, which the union says could slash workers’ pay by up to £8,000 annually.
“This offer was totally inadequate and workers rightly saw through it,” said Unite’s Onay Kasab. Union leader Sharon Graham blamed “bad decision after bad decision” by the Labour-run council for forcing workers to accept major pay cuts.
The council called the rejection “incredibly disappointing” but said its “door remains open.” Officials argue the WRCO role doesn’t exist at other councils and retaining it could expose Birmingham to equal pay claims, as refuse collection remains male-dominated.
As the standoff continues, residents face growing piles of trash and fly-tipping across neighborhoods. The council maintains its offer included alternatives like driver training or voluntary redundancy packages for affected workers.
For more updates on this developing story, visit London Pulse News.
