Overview

• Nearly 400 Birmingham City Council bin workers have been on an indefinite strike since March 11, 2025, following disputes over pay cuts tied to restructuring efforts.
• Overflowing rubbish across the city has led to increased rat infestations, fly-tipping, and warnings of a potential public health crisis.
• Tensions have escalated, with police intervening at overwhelmed mobile waste collection points and two arrests reported during the unrest.
• Birmingham City Council cites financial recovery from its 2023 bankruptcy as the reason for the restructuring, while Unite union demands fair pay for affected workers.
• Negotiations on March 20 ended inconclusively, with no resolution in sight and warnings that the strike could extend into the summer.