Birmingham bin strike may be nearing end after more than a year, says council leader

Birmingham council leader John Cotton says a breakthrough has been reached in the bin strike dispute, with a new improved offer set to be put to Unite members for a vote. Normal collections could resume if workers accept the deal.

Unite bin workers first walked out in March last year over a pay dispute the union says left some staff around £8,000 worse off — a figure Birmingham City Council has disputed. More than 350 workers escalated to indefinite strike action in early 2025 over jobs and conditions. Around 17,000 tonnes of waste built up on streets, prompting the council to declare a major incident.

Full details of the proposed deal remain confidential ahead of a formal offer, according to Unite. Residents should check with Birmingham City Council for updates on local collection arrangements until workers vote and collections resume.