Military planners have been called in to support Birmingham City Council as the city grapples with growing mounds of uncollected rubbish due to a protracted strike by bin workers.
The month-long industrial action by members of Unite the union has prompted the government to provide additional assistance, citing an “ongoing public health risk” posed by the waste piling up across Birmingham.
A small team of military personnel with expertise in operational planning will be stationed in office roles to assist with logistical coordination. Contrary to speculation, no soldiers will be deployed on the streets to collect refuse.
Sky News understands that only three military staff will be involved in the support effort, working alongside government and council officials.
A government spokesperson confirmed: “We have already provided logistics support to Birmingham City Council to ensure the response to the waste build-up is swift and effective. Due to the continued public health risk, a small number of office-based military planners have now been made available to further bolster efforts on the ground.”
Unite members began industrial action on 11 March in a row over pay and job cuts. The dispute centres around the council’s decision to abolish the Waste and Recycling Collection Officer (WRCO) role — a move the union claims will leave some workers up to £8,000 worse off annually.
The council disputes those figures, stating only 17 staff will be affected, and the financial loss will be significantly lower than Unite suggests. It insists the change aligns with national standards and aims to enhance the city’s waste management services.
A major incident was declared by the council on 31 March due to the worsening public health implications of mounting waste across the city.
Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner visited Birmingham last week and encouraged Unite to accept an improved offer. A “partial deal” aimed at resolving the pay row is currently under consideration, with a union ballot scheduled to close by the end of Monday.
Unite’s general secretary Sharon Graham said: “This dispute isn’t about greed or demands for more pay. It’s about workers being forced to accept the loss of up to a quarter of their annual earnings. Some now face serious uncertainty over how they’ll cover their mortgage or rent in the coming months.”
While some progress has been made in protecting pay for a limited number of staff, Unite argues that the deal does not go far enough to safeguard all affected employees.
