Union bosses claim agency staff were told they must cross the picket to be in with a chance of a permanent job

Birmingham bin collections have been suspended today (December 1) as agency workers join council employees on strike.

All-out strikes by council-employed bin workers began in March and are ongoing. Members of the Unite trade union walked out in the dispute with Birmingham City Council over pay and jobs.

Now agency workers hired to cover the backlog have joined workers at pickets amid allegations of ‘bullying, harassment and the threat of blacklisting.’ Unite claims a manager was caught on camera telling workers that council chiefs would ban them from getting permanent jobs if they refused to cross picket lines.

Unite's general secretary, Sharon Graham, claimed the council was

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