New Birmingham Bins Anger as Collections Axed; Taxpayers Told Tip Waste

Birmingham residents have had recycling pickup stopped. The city told them to use the local dump instead. This detail was in an updated online guide, but the update came too late for some people. They already put out their bins for collection day, and some bins sat full on driveways with no pickup.

The city council plans a tax increase of 7.5 percent; this follows last April’s tax increase of nearly ten percent. The bin workers’ union, Unite, is striking this month, planning 12 days of strikes this month and 13 in March. This disruption impacts the whole city.

The updated city document announced recycling suspensions, stating that only regular trash will be collected during strikes. People should take recycling to the dump, if possible. Neatly bundled cardboard can still be left out, while excessive waste should be bagged in black bags. Bin lids need to be closed tightly.

One resident missed the announcement before putting bins out and called it “poor” to bury the news online. He thinks it will cause real problems for many people, as their recycling bins are full without a way to empty them. He also noted the council tax is rising a total of 17.5 percent.

The strikes started with the council’s job cuts, with one cut being the Waste Recycling Officer position. This job relates to equal pay claims. The council says cutting it will improve service, and affected workers were offered other jobs. They could also retrain or take severance.

The union says the cut is unsafe and cuts pay, potentially amounting to £8,000 less for 150 workers. Unite called the strike escalation a firm stand. The strike dates in February are: 4, 6, 7, 10, 12, 14, 17, 18, 20, 25, 26, and 27.

The March strike dates include: 3, 4, 6, 10, 12, 14, 17, 18, 21, 25, 26, 28, and 31. April has strikes planned for the 2nd and 4th. Unite said more strikes are possible.

Unite’s Sharon Graham said the pay cuts have no cause. “The council cannot ignore the workers,” she stated. Unite’s Zoe Mayou said they are open to talks, then stated that the council’s acts created the problems.

The council said they are unhappy with strikes and that they will minimize trouble. They thanked residents for understanding and said they would update the public. The council supports workers affected by the change, mentioning most affected workers chose new roles or left. They desire the best outcome for all.