'I'm losing my home over Birmingham bin strike'

One of Birmingham's striking bin workers will continue to "stand strong", despite facing the loss of her home.

Maxine Stanley was among the strikers protesting on Broad Street in the city centre on Tuesday, and said she was having to move in with her father because of the impact the dispute was having on her finances.

It came as union Unite's strike action in the city entered its second year after 350 members staged a series of walkouts from 6 January 2025 before the all-out strike began on 11 March.

"We're going to stay out until they get around the [negotiating] table. Rain, shine, snow – we don't care, we're staying out," Stanley said.

The strike was called over a dispute about workers' pay and the removal of some roles.

Unite said some staff faced an £8,000 cut in their wages, though Birmingham City Council has disputed this figure.

Speaking at the protest, Stanley said: "I'm losing my home. I've got to move in with my dad because of this, it's ridiculous.

"We've got bills, we've got families, people have had mortgages on the money they were getting – now they're going to lose that money, how can they afford it?"

But the 54-year-old said she would keep going even if the dispute lasted another two years and she refused to take voluntary redundancy.

"I'm going to stand strong with the rest of them," she added.

The council previously insisted a fair offer had been made before negotiations came to an end last summer.

The authority said at the the time it had "reached the absolute limit" of what it could offer, amid fears over jeopardising a crucial agreement on equal pay.

Unite said a "ballpark" deal had been agreed last year but claimed the figure was not approved by government-appointed commissioners.

During a visit to the West Midlands last Friday, Chancellor Rachel Reeves urged Unite to call off the strike because it was having a "damaging impact" on the city's reputation.

"They need to get back to work and deliver for local people," she added.

Reeves said the government was working closely with the council and argued the latter had "red lines" because of equal pay.

"It's really important we learn lessons from that and it's also right that work women traditionally do is valued in the same way that work that is typically done by men is," she added.

"I think Unite do and should understand that but they do need to bring these fights to an end."

This news was gathered by the Local Democracy Reporting Service which covers councils and other public service organisations.

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