Birmingham City Council's most senior official has broken her silence on the long-running bins dispute, describing the "incredibly difficult" obstacles blocking a resolution as the industrial action marks a full year.
A year of disruption and stalled talks
The disruptive strike by refuse collectors, now dragging on for around twelve months, was triggered by a conflict between the Labour-led council and the Unite union. The core dispute centres on the removal of the Waste Recycling and Collection Officer role. Despite prolonged discussions, the two sides remain deadlocked. Striking workers continue to voice concerns over pay, while the council's leadership maintains it has put a "fair and reasonable" offer on the table.
Formal negotiations collapsed last summer, with the local authority stating it had 'reached the absolute limit' of what it could propose, citing major fears over equal pay liabilities.
Council chief: 'Doors remain open' but hurdles are high
Speaking at a finance scrutiny meeting on the strike's one-year anniversary, the council's Managing Director, Joanne Roney, addressed the stalled process. She insisted that "doors remain open" for further discussion but outlined significant constraints.
Roney characterised the earlier talks with Unite as "cordial, polite and well managed on both sides." However, she was unequivocal about the council's red line: "What is clear for Birmingham City Council is in settling this dispute, it cannot worsen the equal pay implications for the council."
She explained that any settlement must also represent financial 'best value', a factor that will be scrutinised by government-appointed commissioners. These commissioners were installed to oversee the council's recovery after it effectively declared bankruptcy in 2023.
"It is incredibly difficult to find a way through these various hurdles," Roney admitted. She placed the blame for the situation squarely on the council's historical failures, not the workforce: "Nobody is blaming the workers for this situation – this is a failure of Birmingham City Council for many years to not address its equal pay issues."
The managing director revealed that two formal offers had been made and rejected by Unite. While reiterating her openness to a new proposal from the union, she stressed the need for "reasonable amount of recognition for both parties," given the council's precarious financial and legal position. "They are just parameters within which I have to operate," she said. "[The council and Unite] are miles apart."
Union and councillors demand renewed negotiations
Roney's comments were challenged during the meeting by councillor Jane Jones, who highlighted the strike's profound impact on the city. "You go anywhere in this city, everybody talks about the dispute," Jones stated. "The public see it as a problem with the council – the council needs to resolve this." She urged the council to "get in a room with Unite and it doesn’t matter how long it takes, find a way of negotiating a settlement."
In response, Roney argued again that Unite had rejected the council's offer. She indicated that legal advice from both sides conflicted and suggested the matter might ultimately have to be settled in court.
Speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting Service after the meeting, striking refuse collector and Unite member Matthew Reid disputed the council's stance. "Well the [council’s] doors are obviously not open," he said. "They say their doors are open for us to go back and get that offer they’ve offered us before, which we’ve already rejected."
Reid claimed a "ball park" deal was agreed last year after lengthy talks but alleged this figure was blocked by the government commissioners. He said the subsequent, lower offer from the council was rejected, leading to the end of negotiations.
"I’m embarrassed that a Labour council can’t negotiate with a trade union to settle a waste dispute," Reid continued. "Together we’ve put them through six months of pain, distress, rats and fly-tipping and it’s completely unnecessary. We should have stayed around the table."
He warned that the striking workers "are absolutely determined to just carry on" with industrial action if needed.
The council's political leadership, including leader John Cotton, has consistently argued that Unite rejected a "succession of fair offers." Cotton stated last month that conceding to the union's demands would "reopen all of the challenges that we have faced over equal pay."
In a recent report, the government commissioners acknowledged the council's "commendable fortitude" in maintaining its position. They stated that, with no credible basis for talks, the council's approach of offering alternative arrangements to the workforce remained "the only viable option." The majority of workers have accepted these alternatives, but the council is pursuing compulsory redundancy in three cases.
