As the clock struck midnight and fireworks began to mark the beginning of a new year, Birmingham City Council and Unite the Union remained in deadlock over the continuing bin strikes that have been prevalent across the city throughout the entirety of 2025.
On 6th January, the strikes officially passed their one year anniversary. They began at the start of last year following the announcement of Labour-led Birmingham City Council’s intentions to make changes to job roles, including the removal of the Waste Recycling and Collection Officer (WRCO) position, alongside proposed changes to some conditions of drivers and loaders.
Throughout January and February of 2025, refuse workers in the city began with walkouts, before committing to all-out industrial action on March 11th.
Since then, neither Unite (the union representing refuse workers in negotiations) nor Birmingham City Council have been able to find a compromise that appeases both sides and restores regularity for bin collections of residents in the area.
As striking continues into 2026, with union members having balloted for all-out industrial action until March, it is difficult to see how, or if, this dispute can be resolved.
READ MORE: Sharon Graham threatens to take any fines for Birmingham strikers from affiliation fees
“A hair’s whisker away from getting this sorted”
Danny Taylor, a leading union representative supported by Unite during the dispute, was a grade-three loader who had been working for Birmingham City Council for 25 years when he decided to take strike action last year.
“It’s definitely changed my life,” Danny told LabourList when asked how he had been personally affected by the long-running action over 2025. Danny explained that he had been right at the heart of the beginning of strike action, as refuse workers from different depots across the city passed information to each other that Birmingham City Council were looking to make changes that would see certain job roles scrapped in November of 2024.
Danny says that when workers across depots had attempted to raise their concerns at the prospect of role removal with senior management, they were met with little sympathy. “Basically, they were just getting fobbed off. The management wasn’t interested.” he said, as he described the beginnings of his journey into leadership. Speaking to colleagues prior to a meeting with management, Danny told others: “look, if they’re not going to listen to us, then, why should we listen to them? So basically, I said, once we get into the meeting room, as soon as they open their voice, I’m just going to walk out”.
He continued, “we all just turned around and walked out the meeting and then that was it, the strike started from there”. Danny had made the decision to walkout of the meeting prior to becoming a union rep, but was nominated for the role as a result of his action.
Following walkouts over changes and discussions with Unite representatives, Danny says members decided they wanted to go to dispute which progressed to members being balloted, returning a vote for industrial action, that began the year of strikes in the city.
When asked about the red lines Unite and the striking refuse workers would stick to, one year on from the beginning of industrial action, Danny responded: “we know where our red line is. It’s the ballpark deal that we almost had,” before making the claim that the managing director of Birmingham City Council, Joanne Rooney, had taken this deal to commissioners for approval where it had fallen through.
“We almost had a deal done with the ballpark deal, which is what you keep hearing about. For us, we just want to get back to negotiations around that ballpark deal. You know, we was a hairs whisker away from getting this sorted, but the commissioners blocked it,” Danny said, “So that’s our sticking point. That’s our red line”.
The ‘ballpark deal’ was alleged to have been agreed in principle between Rooney and Unite’s general secretary. Reports suggested the deal included one-off compensation payments of between £14,000 and £20,000 per worker.
“We have to protect the public purse.”
However, claims around the deal made by Unite representatives like Danny, are contested by Birmingham City Council. Speaking to Councillor Majid Mahmood, Cabinet member for Environment and Transport in Birmingham, LabourList was given an opposing interpretation of this long-running dispute.
“We’ve engaged in negotiations with Unite for the past four months, and whilst we remain committed to reaching a negotiation settlement with with Unite, Unite have actually rejected all of our fair and reasonable offers. We have also 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,” Councillor Mahmood explained.
“Our doors remain open, for Unite to put forward constructive suggestions to resolve this dispute, and we want those taking strike action to return to work so we can continue delivering the service that the people of Birmingham expect and deserve”.
Councillor Mahmood went on to reference Unite’s ballpark deal specifically stating: “In the press, you would probably see a ballpark deal which has been put forward by Unite, they’ve quoted it on several occasions. We’ve never actually made that offer and Unite continue to demand significant lump sums, which are simply unjustifiable and do not represent best value for the council and the citizens of the city”.
Birmingham City Council has had a recent history of financial challenges, issuing a Section 114 notice in September 2023, which is often described as being effectively bankrupt.
“We have to protect the public purse,” Councillor Mahmood continued, “we have taken opinion from counsel as to any future liabilities if we did make a significant award as Unite have suggested, but the exposure to financial risk to the city is just something we cannot agree to.”
Responding to how he felt the ongoing industrial action would affect Labour’s election hopes in May, Councillor Mahmood seemed relatively confident that strike action would not be a dominant issue for voters. “Variables for elections differ from ward to ward across the city,” he explained, “and…our contingency plan has been working. Every household has been provided with a weekly collection, productivity has increased by more than a quarter and the reports of missed collections has decreased by approximately 52%.”
Councillor Mahmood stated that at full cabinet last month, a paper he presented was approved “which means we will forge ahead with the transformation of the waste service that has been poor for far too long. This will bring Birmingham in line with other councils. We will improve our recycling rates and provide the service that residents need and deserve”. He outlined that the city council hopes to roll out their proposed changes in June this year, and feels “confident” they can do so “with or without industrial action taking place”.
Subscribe here to our daily newsletter roundup of Labour news, analysis and comment– and follow us on Bluesky, WhatsApp, X and Facebook.
Continuity or conclusion? What next for the strike?
With both Unite and Birmingham City Council still yet to make any joint progress that could see industrial action come to an end this year, both sides appear prepared for the deadlock to continue.
“The ballot is going until March 2025, I 100% have complete confidence in all my members that when we re-ballot again, if we do need to, they’re proud and determined now every single one of them…we’ve been in this now too long just to give up and walk away with nothing. We’ve got nothing left to lose. We’re here until we get a deal done.” Unite representative Danny responded when discussing the future direction of those striking in 2026.
For Birmingham City Council, however, the potential of a continued strike does not seem to deter them from pursuing their proposed changes to the waste service. “If Unite, do not come back to the table with a constructive proposal that they know we could agree to, then this impasse will probably continue, but we will be delivering the service. Our contingency plan is working.” Councillor Mahmood said, remaining firm in his response to the question of what 2026 had to offer.
As local elections near and strike action continues, 2026 is sure to be an interesting year for union members, residents and the council alike, in the heart of the West Midlands largest city.
Share your thoughts. Contribute on this story or tell your own by writing to our Editor. The best letters every week will be published on the site. Find out how to get your letter published.
- SHARE: If you have anything to share that we should be looking into or publishing about this story – or any other topic involving Labour– contact us (strictly anonymously if you wish) at [email protected].
- SUBSCRIBE: Sign up to LabourList’s morning email here for the best briefing on everything Labour, every weekday morning.
- DONATE: If you value our work, please chip in a few pounds a week and become one of our supporters, helping sustain and expand our coverage.
- PARTNER: If you or your organisation might be interested in partnering with us on sponsored events or projects, email [email protected].
- ADVERTISE: If your organisation would like to advertise or run sponsored pieces on LabourList‘s daily newsletter or website, contact our exclusive ad partners Total Politics at [email protected].
labourlist.org (Article Sourced Website)
#bin #year…Unite #strikes #Birmingham #continue #month #mark #LabourList