Birmingham city council has been accused of attempting to “break” the ongoing bin strikes after analysis revealed it doubled spending on agency staff since the industrial action began. The Guardian’s examination of council spending data shows expenditure on agency workers in fleet and waste operations rose from £4.3m between April and December 2024 to £8.8m in the same period in 2025.
The all-out strike, involving refuse workers over proposed pay cuts and role changes, started in March 2025 and has left streets with overflowing bins. Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said the council was “breaking the law by using agency staff to try to break the strike”. The council strongly refuted this, stating that agency workers were not undertaking duties normally performed by striking workers, which would be unlawful.
A council spokesperson said the figures covered the entire waste service, not just residential collections affected by the strike, and that agency staff were used for contingency cover as before. However, monthly spending rose from an average of £481,000 before the strikes to £971,000 in January 2025, when stoppages began, and exceeded £1.2m in March 2025.
Professor Mark Stuart of the University of Leeds noted the dispute hinges on whether the increased expenditure was aimed at mitigating strike disruption. Talks between the council and Unite broke down in July 2025, with the council stating it had reached its limit in negotiations. Unite has warned the strikes could continue beyond September 2026.
