Factsheet on industrial action by Unite the Union in the waste service

We need to address years of underperformance and bring pride back to our streets and improve the waste collection service for the benefit of everyone.

We are committed to creating a modern, sustainable and consistently reliable waste collection service. The restructure proposal enables us to fulfil our commitment to improving the waste service and comes after careful consideration.

The following sets out factual information about a number of issues in the public domain:

Is this about the WRCO role?

The former WRCO role came about as a result of a previous bin strike. No other council has this role, and if the council conceded, then we would risk creating future equal pay liability.

Will workers in the former WRCO role be forced to lose money?

All WRCO workers have been offered alternative employment at the same pay, driver training or voluntary redundancy. That offer remains open.

See our most recent statement here.

What is the current situation with waste collection and cleanup?

Since the council declared a major incident on 31 March we have been able to deply our fleet in full and on time. We have now removed all excess waste and returned to scheduled collections within our contingency plan for household waste, meaning one collection per week per household. 

Both our waste collection and clean-up crews have been working hard across the city. Typically, we collect around 1000 –1100 tonnes of waste per day but currently our teams have managed to collect around 1300 –1500 daily despite having a reduced team.

We have repurposed between 40 and 60 housing and street cleansing vehicles and deployed multiple ‘grab trucks’ to clear large rubbish piles each day, prioritising 15 of the most affected hotspot wards.

Is the army involved?

This is office-based, logistical support as we clear the backlog of waste. We thank them for their support but would stress that this is not ‘boots on the ground’, it is planning support.

People are concerned about rat infestations

While treatmemnts are pest problems are chargeable, we have temporarily suspended the charge for rat infestations in homes and gardens.

Has compulsory redundancy been suggested for former WRCOs?

It is regrettable that it has come to this, the council has consistently tried to find a solution to the industrial action. We have made a very fair offer which means that no worker need lose any money. That offer remains open.

We confirm that regrettably we have informed Unite representatives that next week (w/b 31 March) we will formally notify and enter a period of collective consultation regarding compulsory redundancies for those who have declined all offers on the table.

This is about securing a better waste service for the people of Birmingham. We thank staff who are working under difficult conditions and recognise the frustration of residents for which we apologise.

See further background here.

Have negotiations been too slow?

The council has consistently tried to find a solution to the industrial action. We have been very accommodating to Unite, offering their choice of dates, times, locations and durations of meetings.  We are meeting them at their availability. In the time between meetings, we have given them information that they have requested, including information that clearly shows no worker is affected by an £8,000 pay cut.  Since the start of the industrial dispute, there have been regular and ongoing meetings with Unite officers and shop stewards to seek to resolve the dispute, including two meetings under the auspices of ACAS. Unite have set aside the agreement that was reached between us at ACAS, but our offer to settle this dispute remains on the table.

Is the WRCO role crucial to health and safety?

The whole team is accountable for working in a safe and responsible way. None of the roles either past or present make any specific reference to there being a lead person responsible for health and safety.

The service has a dedicated Health and Safety Manager to oversee and review safe systems and practices. They ensure continuous improvement and compliance with health and safety standards.

The driver and team leader has control of the vehicle and therefore control of the way the service is delivered. Introducing the new vehicles with 360° cameras and other tech will support with safe working as well.

The new vehicles come equipped with advanced safety features, including a comprehensive camera system to improve crew visibility and operational safety while working on Birmingham’s streets. Additionally, the vehicles feature low-level access points to make ingress and egress safer and easier, reducing the risk of crew injuries and enhancing overall working conditions.

Does the service have too many agency staff?

The council would rather not have to use agency staff however to maintain a service to residents, even when there isn’t a strike, we have to. Obviously, our preferred option is to have permanent employees, which is why part of our offer to those refuse workers who are in dispute has been driving training which would lead to an alternative higher paid role in the new transformed service. This restructure is part of a much-needed transformation of the service that would also reduce the reliance on agency staff.

Are agency staff being used to cover strike action?

We strongly refute any suggestion that agency workers have been carrying out work normally undertaken by striking workers. We continue to deploy the same number of agency workers on days of action as it we would on any normal working days.

What is happening with fly-tipping and clean-up?

Street cleaning crews are clearing sites across our city on a daily basis and will continue to do so.

Who is in charge of negotiations?

Council officers are leading the negotiations on behalf of the Managing Director.

Are former WRCOs losing £8,000 a year?

No. Claims that 150 former WRCOs could lose £8,000 a year in pay are incorrect. We have made an offer that means none of them need lose any money. The reality is that the number of former WRCOs that could lose the maximum amount (just over £6,000) is 17 people, they will have pay protection for six months in line with council policy.

Why has there been an uneven collection of waste across the city during the strike?

Our contingency for waste collection during this industrial action is enough to maintain a single weekly collection to each property in the city, but because of pickets blocking depots, they have been deployed much later and, therefore, for shorter working periods. As certain depots were able to get more wagons out than others, this led to an uneven collection across the city.

Street cleaning crews are being deployed to hotspot areas to clear sites across our city on a daily basis and will continue to do so.

Is the council making changes to its waste services because of financial difficulties?

The changes we are proposing will move Birmingham City Council’s waste collection service in line with national practice and provides for a better service to our citizens. 

The WRCO role, which Unite are fighting to keep, came about as a result of a previous bin strike. No other council has this role, and if the council gave in, then we would risk creating a huge future equal pay liability. Well over 50 councils across the country operate a waste service with a driver and two loaders so we are moving in line with national practice. 

The council’s debt is unrelated to the need to modernise the waste service and to eliminate any future equal pay risk.

What is the position with the driver role?

As Unite are aware, we are currently undertaking a fair and transparent job evaluation process of the driver/team leader role, working with all trade union partners to ensure a fair outcome.

It’s important to stress that roles are evaluated using the nationally recognised Gauge Job Evaluation methodology - as agreed with our trade unions.