Birmingham binmen have confirmed dates for industrial action over threatened job losses and allegations of a bullying culture.

The action is due to begin on Friday June 30 when members of the Unite union will down tools at 10.45am and stay off for the rest of the day.

Refuse collection staff will then stage a series of two-hour stoppages from 6am on July 3, July 11, July 19, July 27 and August 4.

They will also refuse overtime and return to depots for all lunch and tea breaks, slowing the collection service down rather than bringing it to a halt.

The dispute is over a major overhaul of refuse collection in the city which will see jobs downgraded, and the four-day week extended to five slightly shorter days.

The measures are designed to reduce costs following a budget overspend of £9.7 million last year.

Union bosses have accused the council of putting 122 jobs at risk, about 20 per cent of the workforce. But council sources claim almost all those under threat will be assigned new roles following a restructure.

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The service has been beset with problems this year with hundreds of missed collections on some days and allegations of a go-slow.

Unite is now calling on the council’s chief executive Stella Manzie to bring in conciliation service Acas to resolve the dispute ahead of the industrial action.

Binmen are to take industrial action.
Binmen are to take industrial action.

Regional officer Lynne Shakespeare said: “The council’s actions have managed to combine financial incompetence in the waste management team and now they have started bullying our members as the bosses attempt to cut full-time jobs.

“The council wants to axe 122 waste collection jobs after a woefully inadequate consultation with the unions.

"The process was a sham, bordering on a farce – and that’s why Unite members will be taking strike action to protect services to the public in the UK’s biggest local authority.”

Council director in charge of bins, Jacqui Kennedy, said the measures were designed to improve the service and make it more cost-effective.

She said: “We regret that disputes have been registered by four unions and that action to disrupt our refuse collection services is planned by Unite.

“We want to get round the table with the unions but our priority must be Birmingham residents and businesses.

“The current working arrangements are not cost-effective and do not provide citizens with a good service.

"We know we have to change that, and are determined to do so.”