Zarah ChoudharyStrikes by more than 350 Birmingham bin workers, members of trade union Unite, are set to intensify from today.
The dispute was sparked by the council’s decision to abolish the waste recycling and collection officer (WRCO) role, resulting in pay cuts of up £8,000 for 150 workers.
Birmingham’s refuse staff said the scrapping of the WRCO role was the first step in a broader campaign of cuts across a service that is already on its knees.
Sharon Graham, general secretary at Unite, said: “There is no justification for such huge pay cuts to workers’ wages. Birmingham council cannot just ignore this situation and hope that it will go away.
“It is a line in the sand for our members, who know more attacks will follow if they don’t fight back. Unite is with them 100%.”
Strike action will now escalate from four to 12 days in February and from four to 13 days in March.
The escalation means that the next strike day is today rather than 7th February.
Since the council effectively declared bankruptcy in September 2023, Unite said refuse workers have accepted cuts to their pay and terms and conditions and worked with management to ensure services continued.
Zoe Mayou, regional officer at Unite, said: “Unite’s door remains open to meaningful discussions with the council to resolving this dispute.
“It is the council that bears the responsibility for it escalating.
“Its behaviour towards its directly employed staff is vindictive and does nothing to solve the operational problems that are staring it in the face.”
Workplace Journal reached out to Birmingham Council for a response prior to publication.
