Birmingham City Council suspends all refuse services due to Strike Map’s ‘Megapicket 3-D’

Birmingham City Council has suspended all refuse services ahead of a major escalation in the city’s long-running bin strike, as thousands of trade unionists and supporters prepare to descend on the city for the ‘Megapicket 3-D’ action.

The mass picket is being coordinated by Strike Map, a worker-funded organisation that tracks and supports industrial action across Britain and Ireland.

Agency workers in Birmingham have received confirmation that, due to the scale of the planned action on Thursday 30 January, all refuse sites will be shut down. The decision, taken by the Council on health and safety grounds, effectively suspends refuse collection across the city for the day.

Screenshots from the text message sent by Job & Talent agency workers on Thursday 29 January 2026, sent to Strike Map by agency staff

A text message forwarded to Strike Map by agency workers states:

“Due to the planned disruption caused by the mega picket tomorrow, Friday 30 January 2026, the Council have taken the decision to suspend the refuse service on health and safety grounds for that day. All staff will be paid a standard day as a result and normal service will resume.”

The message was sent by the Job & Talent agency on the eve of Strike Map’s ‘Megapicket 3-D’, which brings together trade union leaders, unions and politicians in solidarity with Birmingham’s striking bin workers.

Strike Map co-founder Henry Fowler said:

Our megapickets are growing with every action we take. This strike has united three political parties, the labour movement and the people of Birmingham in condemning the cuts imposed by this Council and its Commissioners. We want to be absolutely clear: we will be back again, and again, and again until these workers win. We stand with the Birmingham bin strikers.

‘Megapicket 3-D’ has been backed by trade unions, senior union leaders and MPs from across the political spectrum, with speakers expected from Labour, the Green Party and Your Party.

National unions, including the Fire Brigades Union (FBU), a Labour Party affiliate, have pledged full support.

FBU General Secretary Steve Wright has called on Prime Minister Keir Starmer to intervene and bring the dispute to an end. Wright said:

Mass trade union action is powerful. ‘Megapicket 3-D’ is a timely reminder of how solidarity can force change. The FBU will continue to support Birmingham’s refuse workers, and as a Labour Party affiliate we are calling on the Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, to end this long-running dispute.

Organisers say ‘Megapicket 3-D’ will not be the last unless Birmingham City Council backs down on proposed pay cuts.

For updates, see the StrikeMap Facebook page.