Birmingham bin strikes: 17 more days of action in February and March

Industrial action to intensify across February and March

Strikes by more than 350 Birmingham bin workers will intensify from Tuesday, Unite, the UK’s leading union, announced today.

The dispute was sparked by the council’s decision to cut the safety critical Waste Recycling and Collection Officer (WRCO) role, resulting in pay cuts of up £8,000 for 150 workers.

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Birmingham’s refuse staff believe the scrapping of the WRCO role is the first step in a broader campaign of cuts.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham 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 per cent.”

Strike action will now escalate from four to 12 days in February and from four to 13 days in March (see notes to editors for full dates). The escalation means that the next strike day begins tomorrow (4 February) rather than 7 February.

Unite regional officer Zoe Mayou 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.”

Birmingham City Council has been contacted for comment.

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