00:00The Birmingham binge strike began in March 2025 following a dispute over changes to waste collection rolls.
00:09More than a year and a half later it's still going on.
00:13Broad terms for an agreement were settled in July 2026 but the council has yet to set a date for
00:21signing it off.
00:22Unite officials say they are frustrated by the delays.
00:26The union says the proposal has faced checks by council officers, scrutiny by government appointed commissioners and advice by external
00:36auditors.
00:37Some union officials suspect the process is being deliberately slowed.
00:42The council says it wants to resolve the dispute but any deal must be financially and legally sound.
00:50Council leader Roger Harmer says he hoped to take the report to cabinet sooner.
00:55The council is waiting for final advice from its external auditors before deciding.
01:01Harmer says the new political leadership has worked constructively with Unite.
01:06The council has defended the scrutiny citing concern that any agreement could create further equal pay liabilities.
01:15Unite members would also need to consider any proposed settlement.
01:19For residents, the key question remains when will the long-running strike end and when will normal collections resume?
