The Unite union has agreed to mediation talks over the ongoing Birmingham bin strike. While regular collections are returning in parts of the city, recycling and garden waste services remain disrupted. Tensions persist between the council and union over job downgrades and potential pay cuts for drivers. Talks are scheduled for early May.
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00:00The bin strike that's left Birmingham streets overflowing with rubbish may soon be edging
00:09towards a conclusion. United, the union leading the action has agreed
00:14to meet with the conciliation service ICAS for mediation next week.
00:20The strike began in March after the council proposed downgrading some refuse workers,
00:25cuts that could cost them thousands a year. The union claims its members are being squeezed
00:32while the council insists talks are progressing and that further discussions are planned.
00:37But behind the scenes both sides accuse each other of saying one thing publicly and another
00:42behind closed doors. It's a standoff marked by mixed messages and mounting frustration,
00:48not just from the picket lines but from the people living amongst the mounting waste.
00:55Unite argues the fight has grown beyond job titles. They're demanding long term guarantees
01:00for bin lorry drivers, claiming some could be left up to £8,000 worse off. The council
01:06hasn't confirmed whether that's on the cards, only that more negotiations are due. The action
01:11has led to a major incident being declared due to health concerns. Garden waste and recycling
01:17services are still on pause despite claims that some regular collections have restarted.
01:24With talks now set for the start of May, there's cautious hope a resolution could finally
01:29be found. But with so much bad blood and the stakes this high, it's not just about picking
01:35up the bins anymore, it's about power promises and how public services are managed in a city
01:41already stretched thin.
01:42Already stretched thin.