Birmingham bin strikes: City council says collections are 'back on track' as backlog is cleared

Birmingham’s streets are slowly being cleared of rubbish after weeks of disruption, but the strike at the heart of the crisis is far from over.

While the city council says household waste collections are now back on a weekly schedule, tensions with union workers remain high—and the mounting bin bags are still a daily reminder of a deal left undone.

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The dispute began when changes to waste collection roles sparked fears among refuse workers of significant pay cuts, with some claiming they could lose thousands. Hundreds of workers walked out in protest. The council insists its offer is fair and has urged workers to reconsider. But so far, the latest proposal has been rejected.

Read more: Should bin collections be nationalised? Birmingham strike sparks big debate

In the meantime, the impact on residents has been severe.

With half the city’s bin lorries still idle and garden and recycling services suspended, overflowing bins and fly-tipping have become common sights in many neighbourhoods.

Volunteers, neighbours and even strangers have taken to transporting rubbish to mobile collection points—acts of community resilience fuelled by growing frustration.

Many of the striking workers live in the same communities hit hardest by the strike. They say they don’t want to strike but feel forced to defend their livelihoods.

The bin dispute has now evolved into a wider issue about public trust, leadership, and the city’s future. National politicians have begun weighing in, and the spotlight on Birmingham’s troubled services grows brighter.

For now, the negotiations continue at a crawl.

The waste is being cleared—slowly—but the deeper divisions remain. Until both sides find common ground, the real burden continues to fall on the residents stuck in the middle of a bitter and ongoing dispute.