Deal ‘within sight’ to end Birmingham bin strike
Council leader John Cotton said he believed a new offer could be made to the Unite union
Last updated 27th Apr 2026
An end to the long-running Birmingham bin strike is “within sight” after a breakthrough in the bitter dispute over jobs and pay.
Council leader John Cotton said he believed a new offer could be made to the Unite union, whose members have been on all-out strike for more than a year.
The dispute flared over council plans to remove a role in its waste recycling and collection service which it insisted was necessary to make improvements and bring the service in line with other local authorities.
Unite said the move would lead to pay cuts of around £8,000 for hundreds of its members, a figure the council has always disputed.
Rubbish piled up on Birmingham’s streets, leading to residents complaining about it being a health hazard.
No details were given about the deal.
Unite general secretary, Sharon Graham said: “As I have said on many occasions, the workers come first and we will always do everything in our power to ensure that our members are treated with dignity and respect.
“The move made today by the leader of the council is a vindication of the bin workers’ struggle for a decent deal.
“Over the last few months, there have been intense negotiations to get the blocked “ballpark” deal back on the table, so that our members could vote on it.
“The reason why we are not yet at that stage is purely down to the vindictive interference of the government backed commissioners who have attempted to block the deal again and clearly overstepped their remit.
“Their lack of both experience and industrial relations competence has been a major factor in this dispute, and their malevolent game playing has been an absolute disgrace.
“The commissioner model is a licence for a few unelected individuals to print money and play games.
“They have let the workers down, the people of Birmingham down and the council down.
“I salute the fortitude of my members who have needlessly been forced to endure months of attacks and hardship to get us to this point.
“I thank mayor Richard Parker and Lord Brendan Barber for the important roles both have played in getting us to this point.
“And I thank the people of Birmingham for their continued patience and support.”