Bin collections in Birmingham have been severely disrupted since January 2025, when refuse workers represented by Unite the Union began strike action over council plans to remove Waste Recycling and Collection Officer (WRCO) roles. Workers argued the changes would cut their pay by thousands of pounds a year. The council said the roles created equal pay risks.
The dispute escalated into an indefinite all-out strike from March 2025. The council declared a major incident after around 17,000 tonnes of waste went uncollected, and the financial cost has since risen to more than £33 million, according to reports. A proposed settlement was rejected by striking workers in April 2025, prolonging the disruption further.
A deal to end the strike is now reported to have been agreed, according to the source, though full details have not yet been confirmed. Residents should watch for official updates from Birmingham City Council on when normal collections are expected to resume.
Source: Yahoo