The long-running bin strike in Birmingham has taken a dramatic new turn, as the temporary agency staff brought in to replace striking workers have now also voted to take industrial action.
Agency Staff Join the Picket Line
The first day of this secondary strike action began on Monday 1 December 2025, with a rally organised by the Unite union at the Smithfield depot in Birmingham. The union reports that the numbers joining this fresh walkout are "growing daily". However, Birmingham City Council has downplayed the impact, stating only "a small number" of agency staff are participating.
The replacement workers, who were recruited by the Job&Talent agency, said they voted in favour of striking two weeks ago. Their grievances centre on allegations of "bullying and harassment and the threat of blacklisting" within the council's refuse department.
Union and Council Locked in Heated Dispute
Unite's general secretary, Sharon Graham, issued a strong statement condemning the council's approach. "Birmingham council will only resolve this dispute when it stops the appalling treatment of its workforce," she said. "Agency workers have now joined with directly-employed staff to stand up against the massive injustices done to them."
Graham accused the council of wasting millions of pounds of taxpayers' money fighting a dispute it could settle justly for a fraction of the cost. She asserted that "Strikes will not end until it does" return to talks with a fair deal for all workers.
In a firm rebuttal, Birmingham City Council expressed disappointment that Unite had rejected all its offers. A council spokesperson stated, "We are continuing to make regular waste collections and our contingency plan is working." The council also said an investigation found "no blacklisting has taken place" and strongly refuted Unite's bullying claims, labelling them "unfounded".
No End in Sight for Protracted Conflict
This development marks a significant escalation in a dispute that has crippled waste services in the UK's second city. The original strike action by directly-employed bin workers began in January and, with this new layer of conflict, is now likely to continue beyond May next year.
The involvement of agency staff in strike action highlights the deepening tensions and suggests a broadening of the grievances within the council's waste management operations. All eyes are now on whether this increased pressure will force both sides back to the negotiating table.
