Cleanzine: your weekly cleaning and hygiene industry newsletter 12th June 2025 Issue no. 1166
Your industry news - first
The original and best - for over 20 years!
We strongly recommend viewing Cleanzine full size in your web browser. Click our masthead above to visit our website version.
Legal injunction secured indefinitely against Unite union
Birmingham City Council has been granted a Court Order to ensure picketing and protesting by Unite outside of the council's depots are legal.
It will prevent striking refuse workers from obstructing bin lorries as they leave the depots in Birmingham, allowing them to collect waste from the city without delay.
“Since the beginning of this strike, we have been in negotiations with Unite regarding the behaviours we have observed at our depots,” says the Council. “While everyone has the right to protest, the Council has a public health duty to ensure waste is cleared, and clearing waste is central to this.
“The health and safety of the people of Birmingham is vitally important. We have been forced to take this action to prevent waste accumulating across our city.
“The injunction was sought after the police stated that they would withdraw their Section 14 powers as the issue no longer met the threshold. This has in turn led to a backlog of around 12,800 tonnes of waste on the streets which will now be cleared.”
5th June 2025