Cynicism and optimism over end to bin strike

A possible end to Birmingham's 13-month continuous bin strike has been greeted with both cautious optimism and scepticism by city residents.

Birmingham City Council leader John Cotton said on Monday a settlement was "within sight" to resolve the long-running dispute with Unite the Union over job roles and pay.

Officials from the union said any new agreement would have to be put to members, but that the council's updated offer included compensation of up to £16,000 for workers, which could lead to a breakthrough.

But with an agreement yet to be formally signed off by parties who have been at loggerheads for so long, residents suggest they may not hold their breath. In the words of volunteer litter picker Ruth Dillon to whom the BBC spoke on Tuesday: "Until it really does happen and the crews are back on the street and emptying the recycling bins, I don't think anybody will believe it."

One of the reasons progress cannot be made immediately is that major schemes cannot be signed off so close to local elections.

It is also the issue of polling - on 7 May - that has drawn suspicion from opposition parties in Birmingham. They accuse the city council's ruling Labour group of cynical timing in sharing news of a potential breakthrough so close to election day.

The city's Conservative group called the move an "election stunt", while a Reform UK spokesperson said "nothing has changed except the election timetable".

Meanwhile, the city's Green Party leader said Labour were playing "political games" and the Liberal Democrats sensed "a cynical pre-election ploy".

Rachel Perry - one of several residents in the Erdington area interviewed by the BBC - understood such positions.

"I'm a little bit cynical about the timing," Perry said.

"I think there's so many deals been discussed over the last few months and all of a sudden, a couple of weeks before the election, they announce they might have a breakthrough. It just makes me a little bit suspicious."

Despite her doubts, she said she was hopeful the strike would end and the city could rebuild a more positive reputation.

"Over the years we've promoted the city really well. I hope that people don't think about us with rats."

The strike drew public health fears from residents as uncollected rubbish piled high before the council made alternative collection arrangements.

The standoff, however, continued. The row between the authority and union initially focused on the council's decision to remove Waste Recycling and Collection Officer (WRCO) roles within the operation; a move it said was necessary to make improvements.

But the union claimed about 170 workers would be affected by role readjustments, with those individuals facing a loss of up to £8,000 a year from their salary. The council disputed those figures.

Resident Stephen Kendrick from Erdington is also sceptical that the long-running saga will end.

"[The council and the union] have been that far apart for that long, I can't see what they've done different," he said.

"Until it happens, I won't believe it."

Former bin worker Derek Roberts, a union member, said he took compulsory redundancy when faced with an £8,000 pay cut.

He said he was not getting up his hopes for former colleagues.

"This deal supposedly is virtually identical framework agreement to what was agreed back in July and taken from the table and deemed unlawful.

"It seems a bit far-fetched to me.

"I'm hoping that for the guys that are still on the picket line that there is some substance to it, but I've got no great level of expectation."

Daljeet Singh, another Erdington resident, said the end of the strike would not make much difference to him.

"I've had my bins picked up, with the exception of the garden waste," he said,

"Coming to an end will be good, I can get my garden waste out."

Meanwhile Dillon, another Erdington Litter Busters volunteer, fears many months without recycling collections has "put the city back years".

"I think it'll take an awful lot of education from the council, whoever's in power, to tell people 'let's get back to recycling'," he said.

Follow BBC Birmingham on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.