Trade union Unite has suspended industrial action involving refuse workers after the High Court ordered Birmingham City Council to withdraw redundancy notices it had served on 113 employees.

The union said it would halt strikes until a further court hearing, a date for which has yet to be agreed.

Assistant general secretary, Howard Beckett, said: 'This judgment will be a huge relief to Birmingham’s bin workers, who, in just a matter of weeks, were facing losing their job or pay cuts of up to £5,000 a year.

'The High Court ruling leaves Birmingham City Council’s unfair and unjust plans in tatters.'

Mr Beckett also called for the resignation of the council's interim chief executive Stella Manzie.

A council spokesman said: 'We obviously accept today’s ruling which will mean further consideration by the courts.

'The council wants to offer the best possible refuse service for citizens and wants to work with Unite and all the other unions to do this.'

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