Birmingham Bin Workers Extend Strike Mandate Through Spring 2026

Birmingham bin workers, represented by the Unite union, have overwhelmingly voted to extend their strike action mandate until March 2026 amid a pay dispute involving proposed cuts of up to £8,000, risking some workers losing their homes. The ongoing strike, which began with intermittent action in January and escalated to an all-out strike in March 2025, has resulted in significant disruption and public health concerns in the city. Unite claims that government-appointed commissioners reporting to Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner blocked a deal negotiated by ACAS that would have ended the dispute, and they accuse the government of enabling councils to fire and rehire workers through recent amendments to the Employment Rights Bill. The union asserts that Birmingham City Council has spent millions on agency workers and legal injunctions during the strike, while council leaders maintain that forced redundancies are a last resort as they seek alternative roles for affected employees. Public opinion in Birmingham largely blames the council for the prolonged strike, with fewer locals blaming the workers or union exclusively. Unite general secretary Sharon Graham criticized the government and Labour Party leadership for their handling of the dispute, warning of growing worker disillusionment with Labour.