Strike breakers Tom White Waste wholly owned by Coventry council

Birmingham bin workers will protest outside a full meeting of Coventry city council tomorrow over the use of the council’s services to try and break their strike.

When: 13:00 hrs, Tuesday 24 March 2026
Where: Council House, Earl Street, Coventry, CV1 5RR

(See notes to editors to request photos/footage of the event)

Tom White Waste, which is wholly owned by Coventry city council, is being subcontracted by Birmingham council to collect household rubbish during the bin dispute. The work is understood to be highly lucrative.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “That two Labour councils are involved in concerted efforts to try and break a strike is disgraceful. Birmingham council is trying to cut the bin workers pay by up to £8,000 a year – putting people’s homes at risk. Coventry councillors should be ashamed that they are aiding this attack on workers.”

Unite’s executive council recently voted to cut its affiliation fee to Labour by 40 per cent (£580,000) with the defining issue being the manner in which Labour politicians have treated the workers and acted in the dispute.

Since the beginning of the industrial dispute Birmingham council has spent at least £33 million of council taxpayers’ money on unsuccessfully trying to break the strike.

In an unprecedented development Job & Talent agency refuse workers joined the dispute at the end of last year. They are striking over bullying, harassment and the threat of blacklisting at the council’s refuse department.

Government commissioners blocked a “ballpark deal” agreed by council chief executive Joanne Roney at ACAS in May. Unite remains fully open to return to those negotiations in order to resolve the dispute.

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.