Attempts to resolve the long-running waste service dispute between Birmingham City Council and Unite have collapsed with job loses the likely result.
Council leader John Cotton said the local authority had ‘reached the absolute limit of what we can offer.’
He said the council had negotiated in good faith and would now ‘press ahead to both address our equal pay risk and make much needed improvements to the waste service.’
The plan means some waste service staff jobs will likely be axed.
Cllr Cotton added: ‘Voluntary redundancy remains on the table, as do opportunities for training and redeployment across the council.’
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said the council had resorted to a ‘fire and rehire’ strategy, adding that it was now likely that the strikes ‘will continue into Christmas and beyond.’
