Birmingham City Council has been accused of hiring new agency workers to replace striking refuse collectors, an allegation the authority strongly denies. The long-running industrial dispute has escalated after agency staff themselves joined the picket lines, causing major disruption to household waste collections across the city.
Union Alleges Unlawful Strikebreaking Attempts
The union Unite has made a serious claim against Birmingham City Council. It alleges the local authority is actively recruiting new agency staff through firms like Smart Solutions to act as strikebreakers during the ongoing bin workers' strike. Unite insists this practice is unlawful and is designed to undermine the industrial action.
These allegations gained traction when online job adverts were discovered. One such advert, viewed by BirminghamLive, was for an 'HGV Class 2 refuse driver' posted by the recruitment firm Smarter Solutions. The role description stated the driver would "work alongside outdoor clean-up team members" to clear public areas including streets and parks.
Council's Firm Denial and Service Claims
Councillor Majid Mahmood, the council's cabinet member for environment, has issued a robust response. He categorically denied the accusation that the council is attempting to break the strike. Mahmood stated the authority's primary duty is to maintain public safety and cleanliness, and that all its actions are operating within the confines of the law.
Despite the widespread disruption, the council maintains its contingency plans are working. Coun Mahmood claimed that crews are currently collecting an average of 1,330 tonnes of waste daily. He asserted this figure is actually higher than the amount collected before the industrial action began.
Agency Workers Join Strike, Causing Major Disruption
The strike took a significant turn on December 1, 2025, when binmen employed by the agency Job & Talent decided to join the walkout. Their decision to march to the Birmingham City Council House was driven by serious grievances, including allegations of bullying and threats of blacklisting by the council.
The involvement of these agency workers had an immediate and severe impact on services. Reports indicate that household waste collections across Birmingham were completely suspended on the first day of their action. This escalation has intensified calls from Unite's general secretary for the council to cease its current tactics and refocus on meaningful negotiations to achieve a fair resolution to the dispute.
