The union’s comments follow a statement issued by the council, which said it was not party to discussions held between Unite and Labour figures before May’s local elections and that “no deal exists”.
The council said comments made by former council leader John Cotton suggesting an agreement was “within sight” had been made in a political capacity rather than on behalf of the authority.
However, Unite has rejected the council’s position and said that statements from independent mediator Lord Brendan Barber and West Midlands mayor Richard Parker, say a settlement was agreed following months of negotiations.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “As Lord Barber and Mayor Parker have both said, the deal to end this dispute has been negotiated and agreed.
“We look forward to the elected members of the council agreeing the process for the implementation of the deal, so the usual ballot of members can take place.
“Workers and residents have put up with enough of the constant dither and delay. This is a good deal for workers and residents and it needs to be swiftly finalised.”
Start of the Birmingham Bin Strike
The dispute began following Birmingham City Council’s decision to remove the waste recycling and collection officer (WRCO) role as part of wider service restructuring and job evaluation changes.
Unite has argued that the changes would result in pay losses for affected workers and has accused the council of attempting to reduce wages through restructuring.
The council has consistently maintained that the changes are necessary as part of efforts to modernise services and address its financial challenges.
Industrial action has led to repeated disruption to waste collections across Birmingham, with negotiations continuing intermittently through Acas and other mediation efforts.
March breakthrough
The latest disagreement in the Birmingham Bin Strike comes just months after both sides appeared to move closer to a settlement.
In March, Cotton said an end to the dispute was “within sight” and confirmed that a revised offer was being developed following discussions at Acas.
At the time, Unite national lead officer Onay Kasab said the proposal included compensation of around £16,000 for affected workers, a provision that had not featured in previous offers.
The union described the revised package as a “vindication” of the strike and said it was based on a previously agreed “ballpark” deal reached through Acas.
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