Striking Birmingham bin workers at Liverpool conference to demand John Cotton joins talks

A protest will take place at the Local Government Association (LGA) conference in Liverpool tomorrow demanding attendee John Cotton returns to Birmingham and joins negotiations to end the long running bin strike.

When: 08:00 to 10:30, Tuesday 1 July 2025

Where:  Wheel of Liverpool, L3 4FN

The Birmingham bin strike began in January over pay cuts of up to £8,000 impacting around 400 workers who are either former Waste Recycling Collection Officers or bin lorry drivers. The workers have a mandate to continue striking until December.

Since the dispute began, council leader John Cotton has refused to join negotiations and has blocked every attempt by council officials that are in talks to put forward a deal that mitigates against the workers being financially ruined by the cuts.

Independent polling shows 90 per cent of Birmingham residents would not accept equivalent pay cuts, while 65 per cent would go on strike if their employer tried to impose similar pay cuts on them.

Nearly two-thirds (62 per cent) of Birmingham residents disapprove of John Cotton not attending negotiations.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “John Cotton needs to stop hiding from the biggest issue facing his council – the bin strikes.

“Birmingham residents understand exactly why the bin workers are striking: The scale of the cuts being proposed by the council are indefensible. Many of these bin workers face losing their homes. It’s time John Cotton stepped up, entered the room, and resolved this dispute.

“The protest should also put other councils attending the LGA conference on notice if they are thinking of trying to get workers to pay for mistakes made by politicians: Unite will be relentless in the fightback.”

In response to the local authority funding crisis, Unite has launched the Fair Funding campaign. The campaign calls on the government to restructure local authority debt to project jobs, pay, conditions and critical public services at councils across the county.

ENDS

For media enquires ONLY contact senior Unite communications officer Ryan Fletcher on 07849 090215 or 020 3371 2065.

Email: ryan.fletcher@unitetheunion.org

Unite is Britain and Ireland’s largest union with members working across all sectors of the economy. The general secretary is Sharon Graham.