Residents across Birmingham are facing a grim new year as streets remain buried under mountains of uncollected Christmas rubbish, the result of a bitter bin strike now entering its twelfth month.
A City 'Ashamed' by Overflowing Waste
Shocking images from areas like Small Heath and Bordesley Green show pavements and roads lined with overflowing black bin bags, many filled with festive leftovers now left to rot. The long-running industrial action by Birmingham City Council bin workers, which began in January 2025 over disputes concerning pay and job roles, means families have no idea when their waste will finally be cleared.
Paul Dalgliesh, a 44-year-old father from Small Heath, described the scene as deeply depressing. "I was dreading the festive period and within a day after Christmas the rubbish got worse," he said. "It just makes you feel ashamed, you look around and you are embarrassed to live in this city at the minute. To see rats running around the place just makes you depressed."
Strike Action Set to Continue Into 2026
The situation has been exacerbated by increased fly-tipping, with some locals reporting that shops are simply dumping their commercial waste on the streets. Resident Gail Burgess highlighted the compounding problem, stating that fly-tipping occurs "on top of the bins strikes because nobody does anything about it."
The Unite union has warned that the dispute could continue beyond the local elections in May 2026. The union is planning a third 'megapicket' in the city next month and has been joined on picket lines by agency workers from Job & Talent. Unite's national lead officer, Onay Kasab, placed responsibility firmly with the council, stating they are "solely responsible for the ongoing dispute" while reaffirming the union's commitment to securing a fair deal and ending what it calls an "endemic bullying culture."
Council and Union Remain Deadlocked
In response, a Birmingham City Council spokesperson claimed the authority has engaged in negotiations for the past year and that "Unite have rejected our fair and reasonable offers." The council stated it is now focused on "pushing on with delivering the waste service that the people of Birmingham expect and deserve."
However, with an indefinite all-out strike that began in March 2025 still in force and no breakthrough in talks, residents like Paul Dalgliesh summarise the city's mood succinctly: "Everyone is fed up." The prospect of clean streets for Birmingham appears to be a distant hope as the new year begins.
