Birmingham bin workers to strike for 12 days in new year over pay dispute

The dispute will involve over 350 members of Unite, the UK’s leading union, and is a result of the council’s decision to abolish the safety critical Waste Recycling and Collection Officer (WRCO) role.

The 150 affected workers face losing £8,000 a year and the cut could also reduce future pension payments. Many of the affected workers have decades of service at the council.

Talks broke down on Tuesday when the council refused to delay the implementation of the cut in the WRCO role.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Unite is not prepared to see its workers face a huge pay cut, nor will it allow the council to recklessly cut safety critical roles which risks the safety of workers and the general public.

“Unite is totally focussed on protecting the pay and safety of its members and will leave no stone unturned in resolving this dispute.”

From Thursday 2 January an overtime ban will be in place as well as a work to rule which will mean workers adhering to official start and finish times and returning to the work yard for their 15-minute break and 30 minute lunch period.

This will cause considerable disruption. In addition, there will be 12 days of full strike action with the first strike on Monday 6 January.

The dates of strike action are January 6,14, 22, 30. February 7, 10,18, 26, March 6, 14, 25, 2 April

A Birmingham City Council spokesperson said: “We are disappointed that this action is taking place, but we are continuing to work through the dispute resolution procedure. We would like to assure residents that we will do all we can to minimise disruption during any potential industrial action.

“We thank residents for their understanding and patience during this challenging period and assure everyone that we are committed to resolving the situation in the best interest of all parties involved. Up-to-date information will be provided via our website, social media and encourage residents to sign up to bin collection newsletter.

“Ensuring the safety of our employees and residents is taken extremely seriously, and health and safety is everyone’s responsibility. We have undertaken steps to ensure Birmingham City Council colleagues affected by the change in working arrangements are supported.

“There are several options that are available to suit different personal circumstances, and of the 170 affected employees, over 130 have already opted for redeployment, driver training or voluntary redundancy. We have moved quickly to minimise this period of uncertainty for everyone. We are committed to working with our colleagues across the service for the best outcome so that we deliver a consistent and reliable service that Birmingham residents deserve.”