In Birmingham, the city council and the Unite union remain locked in a bitter deadlock as the city’s bin strike enters its twelfth month, including nine months of full walkouts. Despite the ongoing dispute, Councillor Majid Mahmood has announced the council will press ahead with major reforms to its waste service, including fortnightly collections, expanded recycling, and a new weekly food waste scheme (which all local councils have to introduce in 2026). He said that all individual employment issues had been resolved, with workers either accepting new roles, choosing voluntary redundancy, or (rarely) being made compulsorily redundant. He could not understand why Unite members remained on strike. Unite, however, has accused the council of failing to consult it properly, and insists affected workers deserve compensation for lost pay and status. While new equipment and systems are ready for rollout, neither side appears willing to compromise, leaving the city without a resolution.