Striking bin workers in Birmingham have taken their dispute to the streets of a notorious fly-tipping hotspot, where residents are showing overwhelming support by displaying posters and stickers in their front gardens.
Community Backing in Alum Rock
The Unite union organised a rally on Gowan Road in the Alum Rock area, which falls within Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood’s Ladywood constituency, on Friday, November 21. The location was chosen deliberately, as the road has been plagued by huge piles of abandoned black bin bags since council refuse collectors began an all-out strike back in March.
In a significant show of solidarity, the union contacted more than 6,500 local residents. They report that the vast majority displayed a bin sticker or poster backing the striking workers. Furthermore, more than 150 businesses, faith groups, and community organisations have also pledged their support for the industrial action.
Union Condemns Council and Agency
Unite's general secretary, Sharon Graham, stated: “The support of the community for bin workers is overwhelming. The council and local MPs need to wake up and realise residents are backing the workers, return to negotiations and make a decent offer to workers.”
The dispute is set to intensify, with Unite confirming this week that a number of agency staff, who are also union members, have voted to join the official picket lines from December 1. The union cites claims of a “bullying workplace culture” within the council’s refuse department and poor treatment by the agency, Job&Talent.
Ms Graham described this development as a “real escalation in the dispute.”
Financial Toll and Council Response
The ongoing strike has had severe consequences for the city. At its height, massive mountains of rubbish accumulated across Birmingham, attracting unwanted international headlines. The industrial action has also inflicted a heavy financial blow, costing Birmingham City Council at least £14 million.
In response to the union's allegations, the council has previously denied claims about the culture within its refuse department. A council statement asserted it does not “condone any actions which are contrary to legislation and good employment practice.”
The local authority added this week that it has “contingency plans” in place and “will continue to look to maintain residents with a minimum of one collection a week.”
