Inside Birmingham bins strike megapicket: I stood beneath giant rat and saw anger, unity and a rallying cry

The crowd was decent despite the turnout falling short of the thousands predicted by organisers. Workers from across the country arrived throughout the morning to show solidarity.

With the depot gates closed and no lorries leaving, speakers had free rein to make their voices heard while protesters waved flags and chanted slogans such as ‘cut back, fight back’.

Through this coordinated show of strength, it soon became clear that for many unions, the Birmingham bins strike had become a vivid symbol of their own disputes and struggles — whether those faced by school workers or firefighters.

The industrial action, triggered by a dispute between Unite and Birmingham Council, was therefore a fight that mattered deeply to people outside of the city, too.

As one message of support to bin workers, which appeared on the side of a van, said: “Don’t give in! Keep going – your win is a win for everyone!”

One of the speakers at the demonstration, Kate Taylor from the Brum Rise Up campaign, also told the crowd that the bin strike was “for all of us”.

“It’s for all trade unionists,” she said as those around me applauded. “That is why so many of us are here today, showing solidarity and fighting with you.

“Today has to be the start of mobilising a wider movement.”

She continued: “It would be wonderful if Unite could call a national demo in Birmingham on a Saturday where the bin workers are marching at the front and showing the way for the rest of us.

“This is your strike, you can lead it and so many others to victory.”

Meanwhile, Adam Taylor, from the Fire Brigades Union, told me that he knew “what cuts to the service” felt like.

“An attack on one worker is an attack on all, so that’s why we’re showing solidarity,” he said.

He went on to urge Birmingham City Council to “get round the table and sort this out right now”.

“This has been going on for months,” he said. “It’s quite clear the council hasn’t been willing.”

Another show of support came from the National Education Union, with member Shirley Perry urging the council to “put it right” regarding the bin strike dispute.

“It’s within your [the council’s] power,” she told me. “It’s the right thing to do – we expect a council to pay bin workers properly.”

With the various unions showing solidarity, Unite also made clear during the demonstration that it had no intention of backing down in its dispute with the council.

Amid fears the bins strike could drag on into the summer, the union’s regional officer Zoe Mayou was asked whether they’re anticipating that happening.

“If that’s what we need to do unfortunately,” she told me. “That’s unfortunate for our members and residents.

“It’s down to the council to come up with a proper offer and be open, honest and transparent.

“We don’t want to be out here any longer than we have to be.”

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Minutes later, Unite’s national lead officer Onay Kasab addressed the crowd and told them: “We as a trade union will not stand by while our members, in whatever borough, face pay cuts.

“This could be happening in local authority after local authority.”

He continued: “The lesson is this – if you want decent services, if you want pay, you have to stand up. You have to strike.

“Slogans are fine, marches have their place but if we’re going to make a difference, then we have to look at the example set by the Birmingham bin workers – strike, strike and strike.”

Disruption to service

The city council issued advice to residents affected by the disruption caused by the ‘megapicket’ on Friday morning, May 9.

“Due to a protest outside Lifford Lane there have been disruptions to today’s collections,” a council spokesperson said. “Please leave your bin out and we will aim to collect it on Saturday or as soon as possible.”

They added: “We were aware of the planned protest, the safety of everyone involved was always our priority.

“We therefore revised operational deployment plans to reflect this overarching principle.”

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Birmingham’s bins strike dispute is over the council’s plans to scrap a Waste Recycling and Collection Officer (WRCO) role, which Unite said would force “dedicated workers onto pay levels barely above the minimum wage”.

However, the council has insisted in the past that a “fair and reasonable offer” has been made, with council leader John Cotton adding it “cannot and will not entertain anything that would re-open an equal pay liability”.

But recent news that waste truck drivers in Birmingham could see their jobs downgraded and their pay cut by thousands of pounds a year has resulted in further tension.

On the drivers, a spokesperson for the council said recently: “This fair and transparent job evaluation process, jointly agreed with trade unions, is necessary to ensure the council complies with equal pay laws.”

They continued the decision to grade drivers as ‘grade 3’ was ‘indicative’ only and subject to further collective consultation.

“It is part of an ongoing process of quality assurance and moderation, and this an indicative grade which is subject to further collective consultation,” they said.

“We remain committed to delivering a fair and sustainable deal for drivers and collectors and we will continue those discussions with Unite.”