Birmingham ‘disruption expected’ to £60 waste service
Birmingham City Council has warned there could be “some disruption” to a £60 waste collection service amid the ongoing bin strike.
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It’s been a difficult period for the city since the industrial action started last month, with residents having to put up with overflowing bins and piles of rubbish bags in the street.
The collection of recycling has also been suspended during the strike, with Birmingham residents being told to take their rubbish to the tip instead.
But there could be further impact still to come if the industrial action continues, with the council warning on its website that its garden waste collection service could be affected.
The cost of the service soared from £50 to £60 last year and is set to rise to £61.80 this year.
“There is currently industrial action by Unite the union,” the council says on its page for garden waste.
“We expect some disruption but will try to minimise this. If you have recently subscribed, we will contact you shortly.”
The garden waste service usually runs for most of the year but misses months during the winter.
The union’s plans for an all-out strike were announced yesterday, February 26, triggering further concern among Brummies and anger towards the Labour-run city council.
Unite says industrial action is being held over the scrapping of a waste recycling and collection officer role, which it described as “safety-critical”.
The city council previously insisted that its planned changes, included within its proposed budget for the next financial year, would improve the quality of service delivery and safety.
“Ensuring the safety of our employees and residents is taken extremely seriously,” it said.
The authority recently added: “This escalation of industrial action will mean greater disruption to residents – despite the fair and reasonable offer that the council made to Unite the union.
“To the small number of workers whose wages are impacted ongoing by the changes to the service (of whom there are now only 40), we have already offered alternatives.”
It went on to say these include “highly valuable” LGV Driver Training for career progression and pay, and other roles in the council equivalent to their former roles.
“Residents of Birmingham want and deserve a better waste collection service and the restructure that Unite is opposing is part of the much-needed transformation of the service,” the council added.
