Agency bin crews in Birmingham who kept collections going during the city’s long-running strike have now voted to join the picket lines, alleging bullying, blacklisting and unsafe workloads. The council and its contractor deny the claims and insist services are holding up as the dispute enters a new phase.
00:00Agency staff were the backup in this strike, now many say the pressure has gone too far.
00:08Unite size 18 of 22 job and talent workers on Birmingham's refuse contract have backed official action from 1st December,
00:16after months of long rounds, heavy loads and what they call bullying and harassment.
00:21The council disputes that and points to figures showing more waste collected per worker than before the strike.
00:28Unite says dozens of workers face losing thousands of pounds a year as senior roles are removed or downgraded.
00:35The council says only a small number would see pay fall, that they have been offered other options and that change is needed to avoid equal pay claims.
00:45Tensions grew when video emerged from the Atlas Depot.
00:49A manager linked to jobs in talent appears to tell staff that anyone joining the picket line will not get a permanent job at the council.
00:56Unite calls that blacklisting in all but name and wants an independent investigation.
01:02The agency says it follows the law and does not punish staff for taking part in industrial action.
01:08Eight months of disruption have left parts of the city with overflowing bins, fly tipping and rats.
01:14The council says its contingency plan is working and claims over 100,000 tonnes of kerbside waste have been collected during the strike.
01:23What happens next depends on whether either side is prepared to shift.
01:27If the agency crews join the main picket lines, pressure on services and reputations will rise again.
01:33A dispute that started over bin workers pay has become a test of how Birmingham treats the people it relies on to keep services running.
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