Birmingham is in the grip of a major bin strike crisis, with streets overflowing with uncollected rubbish and rising tensions between unionized waste workers and city officials. In the latest development, Unite union members have overwhelmingly rejected a pay deal proposed by Birmingham City Council to end the ongoing industrial action.
The result? More disruption, growing public health concerns, and a fierce war of words between the two sides—each blaming the other for the deadlock.
The bin strike, which began on March 11, 2025, has now dragged on for over a month, and there’s still no clear resolution in sight. Here’s everything you need to know about why the strike started, what the rejected deal entailed, and what could come next.
Why the Bin Strike Began
Background of the Dispute
This isn’t Birmingham’s first bin strike—and for many, it’s a painful case of history repeating itself. The seeds of the current conflict were sown during the 2017 bin strike, when the city council introduced a new job classification called the Waste Recycling and Collection Officer (WRCO) role. This role came with increased pay and responsibilities and was part of a hard-won agreement to end months of industrial unrest at the time.
Fast forward to 2025, and the council now wants to eliminate the WRCO role entirely, citing operational restructuring and financial strain. This move has enraged the 200 workers who currently hold that title, many of whom face potential pay cuts of up to £8,000 per year if the changes go ahead.
The WRCO Role and 2017 Strike Legacy
The WRCO position was designed to give bin workers a clearer career progression and higher wages in return for more responsibilities. However, critics within the council now say the role is “outdated and inefficient.”
Unite, the union representing the bin workers, argues that removing this role would violate the spirit of the 2017 agreement, potentially reigniting old tensions and undermining job security for hundreds of key workers.
This dispute over role classification and pay has become the flashpoint for the current strike—and the battle lines are firmly drawn.
What Sparked the Latest Industrial Action
The strike was triggered by the council’s formal proposal to phase out WRCO roles, reassign affected workers to lower-paid jobs, and streamline bin collection routes. The council insists the changes are necessary to modernize the waste management system and manage its stretched budget.
But workers saw it differently. To them, it was a blatant pay cut wrapped in corporate jargon—a move that would erase years of progress and financial stability for families across the city.
As negotiations stalled, Unite authorized a full-scale strike, plunging Birmingham’s waste collection system into chaos.
Unite Union Members Reject the Deal
Details of the Rejected Proposal
In a bid to end the stalemate, Birmingham City Council recently presented a new offer to Unite. The deal included:
- A proposed restructuring of roles, with limited WRCO positions retained
- Redeployment options to other roles with “equivalent pay”
- Access to retraining for affected staff
- One-off compensation payments
Despite the offer’s framing as a “fair compromise,” it failed to address the central concern—the steep, permanent loss of income for WRCO workers.
Union’s Concerns About Pay Cuts and Role Changes
Unite’s General Secretary Sharon Graham was quick to slam the proposal, calling it “totally inadequate” and “disrespectful to workers who kept Birmingham clean during the pandemic.”
Union reps say the offer would not only cut annual salaries by thousands, but also diminish the scope and dignity of the WRCO role, effectively penalizing workers for accepting additional responsibilities in good faith years earlier.
They also pointed out inconsistencies in the council’s numbers. While the council claims only 17 workers would face pay cuts, Unite insists that the real number is closer to 200.
The Overwhelming Vote Against the Offer
The vote among union members wasn’t even close—the majority of Unite workers rejected the deal, signaling a strong desire to continue industrial action until a more favorable offer is made.
This landslide rejection leaves the city council with few options and ramps up pressure on both sides to return to the negotiating table with a fresh approach.
