Bin strikes: What's going on with Birmingham's bin strikes? Fresh row breaks out between union and council

Birmingham City Council is facing fresh scrutiny over its use of costly agency workers as its refuse workers continue strike action over pay and job restructuring.

Union Unite claims that the council has been spending millions on agency staff, with costs now expected to rise further due to the ongoing industrial dispute.

A Freedom of Information (FOI) request by Unite revealed that as of December 31, 2024, the council had 493 temporary workers in its Fleet and Waste Operations Service, employed through the Job&Talent agency at an average hourly wage of £18.44.

On a standard 40-hour workweek, this equates to approximately £38,400 per worker per year.

In contrast, the council employed 736 permanent workers in the same department, meaning agency staff made up around 40% of the workforce, according to Unite.

Directly employed workers earn between £24,027 and £25,992 annually, which is only slightly above the minimum wage equivalent of £23,795.

According to Unite's calculations, if all 493 agency workers were employed full-time, their total cost to the council would be approximately £18.9 million per year. By comparison, employing the same number of workers on £25,000 salaries would cost £12.3 million.

Birmingham City Council, which is currently run by government-appointed commissioners due to financial difficulties, defended its reliance on agency workers.

A spokeswoman stated: “We strongly refute any suggestion that agency workers have been carrying out work normally undertaken by striking workers. We continue to deploy the same number of agency workers on days of action as we would on any normal working days.”

She added that agency workers are necessary to maintain services even outside of strike periods and that the council's long-term goal is to reduce agency dependence by restructuring the workforce.

The strike, which began in January, was triggered by the council's decision to scrap the waste collection and recycling officer role, a move that affects around 150 workers with potential pay cuts of up to £8,000.

Unite argues that this decision not only reduces wages but also removes a clear path for pay progression, particularly in a physically demanding role. The council maintains that only 41 workers remain affected by the restructure, and it has offered driver training to help employees transition into higher-paid roles.

The council’s finances are already under significant strain, and the cost of agency labour has become a focal point of debate.

The combined workforce of permanent and agency refuse workers stands at 1,229, which is 237 more than the 992 posts allocated for the service. Unite argues that this is an unnecessary expense at a time when the council is increasing council tax and making deep cuts to services.

Unite General Secretary Sharon Graham criticized the council's spending priorities, stating: “Birmingham council has been wasting millions upon millions boosting agency profits.

“That makes the pay attacks on its directly employed refuse workforce even more disgraceful. It would be cheaper and fairer to cut out the middleman, employ long-serving agency staff directly, and halt the brutal wage cuts.”

Meanwhile, Unite national officer Onay Kasab took aim at the commissioners overseeing the council’s financial recovery, calling for their removal: “The commissioners have no place in Birmingham. Unelected means unaccountable and uncaring. It is time for the Labour government to remove the commissioners. It is time for an end to cutting jobs, services, and pay while pouring money meant for the public sector into the coffers of agencies.”

The council, however, remains firm in its position. “Our door is always open to Unite, and we would encourage them to come back to the table,” the spokeswoman said. “The further escalation of strike action is causing more misery to residents at even more cost to the taxpayer.”

With an indefinite all-out strike set to begin on Tuesday, March 11, tensions between the council and refuse workers remain high. The dispute highlights broader concerns about public sector outsourcing and the financial struggles facing local authorities.

Whether a resolution can be reached remains uncertain, but for now, Birmingham residents are left dealing with the mounting impact of the strike on their waste collection services.