Birmingham's bin collection service has been suspended due to widespread strikes by agency workers. These workers, hired to cover for striking employees of Birmingham City Council, participated in mass pickets and protests, leading to the suspension of collections today. The strike follows a vote by Job & Talent agency workers, who alleged they faced "bullying, harassment, and the threat of blacklisting". Protests occurred at three bin depots, including the Smithfield Depot on Sherlock Street, the Atlas depot in Tyseley, and the Perry Barr depot on Holford Drive. In a statement on X, the city council announced, "Due to expected mass pickets and protests across our waste depots, we have taken the decision to suspend collections today. We apologise for the inconvenience. Collections will resume tomorrow. We aim to complete all collections by Sunday. Please leave your bin out as normal." Job & Talent informed staff that the Birmingham City Council collection service would be suspended on Monday, December 1, assuring them they would receive their usual pay for the day. Those who had pre-booked annual leave would be eligible to reclaim the day. Workers were instructed to return to their usual place of work on Tuesday at the regular time. A manager was reportedly filmed warning workers that council officials would prevent them from obtaining permanent jobs if they did not cross the picket lines. The trade union Unite, representing the striking workers, claimed that an increasing number of agency staff were refusing to cross the picket lines due to "unsustainable workloads and the toxic and bullying workplace culture". Unite also accused the council of bullying agency workers by publicly ranking their driving performances based on tachograph readings, displayed in a "league table" at the Smithfield depot. Unite's general secretary, Sharon Graham, stated, "Birmingham Council will only resolve this dispute when it stops the appalling treatment of its workforce. Agency workers have now joined with directly employed staff to stand up against the massive injustices done to them. "Instead of wasting millions more of council taxpayers’ money fighting a dispute it could settle justly for a fraction of the cost, the council needs to return to talks with Unite and put forward a fair deal for all bin workers. Strikes will not end until it does." Birmingham City Council expressed disappointment that the dispute remained unresolved. A spokesperson noted, "A small number of agency staff are in a separate dispute with Job & Talent. The city council has contingency plans and will continue to look to maintain residents with a minimum of one collection a week. Meanwhile, we continue to move forward with the service improvements that are long overdue and that our residents need." Earlier this month, a Job & Talent spokesperson stated, "We prioritise the rights, welfare, and safety of our workers and maintain regular communication to ensure they feel supported." This ongoing dispute follows previous industrial action that began in January, culminating in all-out strikes from March 11. The council's decision to scrap the waste collection and recycling officer role has been a point of contention, with Unite claiming it could lead to affected workers losing up to £8,000 a year. The council maintains that a "fair and reasonable offer" has been made to resolve the issues.