Birmingham bin collections cut off again as council gives 'very few' update

NO TRUCKS WERE SEEN LEAVING FROM LIFFORD LANE DEPOT AS PICKETS ABLE TO RESUME GO-SLOW TACTICS AFTER POLICE ORDER 'NO LONGER IN PLACE' 10:10, 20 May 2025Updated 11:04, 20 May 2025

Bin collections are being strangled again in Birmingham after the city council today warned "very few" dustcarts had made it onto the streets because of pickets at its depots.

Renewed go-slow tactics, involving striking binmen walking in front of wagons, have led to an increase in lorries being unable to get out on rounds. A BirminghamLive reporter stationed

outside the Lifford Lane depot in Kings Norton from early today, Tuesday, May 20, said no dustcarts were seen to have left this morning, with eight forced to turn around and remain at the

base. READ MORE: 'MONSTER' 280FT CHINESE SUPERMARKET WAREHOUSE BUILT IN BACK GARDENS The wagons did not attempt to keep their wheels moving or cross the picket line this morning.

There was a small police presence at the scene. Birmingham City Council said today: "Unfortunately actions by pickets at our three depots have meant very few of our waste lorries have

been deployed this morning. "This will affect the amount of collections we are able to make. Please leave your bins out and we will collect them as soon as possible." There has

been a drop in the number of bin wagons on the streets in recent days after police numbers were reportedly reduced at depots being picketed by Unite union members striking over the risk of

pay cuts. West Midlands Police last week confirmed an order under Section 14 of the Public Order Act around public gatherings was "no longer in place." Under those powers, police

had helped secure the exit of waste collection trucks from depots in recent weeks after the go-slow tactics were employed by pickets in the early weeks of the all-out strike. The force said

last week that there continued to be a police presence at the sites in line with "core policing responsibilities". But the council expressed concern that rubbish would again pile

up on the streets, mirroring scenes which trashed Birmingham's reputation around the world, if it did not receive help to keep working bin crews on the road. A council spokesperson

said: "We are grateful for (the police's) ongoing support and will be looking at all of our options so we are able to try and maintain a service to residents. "However, if we

see the level of disruption we saw at the start of the strike this may not be possible." Unite previously defended the go-slow tactics as lawful and said it was co-operating with the

police. National lead officer Onay Kasab said the strike was about “stopping austerity being imposed on refuse workers”. He said: "I want to be really clear about this, we’re not asking

for extra money, we’re not asking for improvements in terms and conditions, we’re defending pay. Article continues below “The dispute began because the employer decided it was going to

delete posts and in the middle of negotiations it also decided it was going to cut pay for another 200 workers as well, so this really is about defending pay and conditions.”