Injunction Bans Bin Lorry Blocking Amid Birmingham Strike

Published: 25 February 2026 . The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online

A High Court injunction has been granted to restrict disruptive tactics linked to an ongoing refuse workers’ dispute in Birmingham, following claims that striking bin crews or their supporters were blocking waste vehicles from leaving depots and obstructing council operations. The order, aimed at preventing large refuse vehicles being deliberately impeded during the strike, came into force earlier this week after a hearing on 13 February and was formally issued on 20 February.

Birmingham’s long‑running bin strike, which began in early 2025, has been one of the most protracted industrial disputes involving local government services in recent memory. Bin workers, primarily represented by Unite the Union, have been protesting over pay cuts and changes to job roles, leading to intermittent walkouts since January 2025 and a sustained all‑out strike from March of last year.

The council sought the injunction on legal grounds that the picket actions — especially around key waste depots — were effectively preventing bin lorries from entering or exiting sites, undermining council efforts to maintain basic waste services for residents. Under the terms of the order, protests that obstruct the movement of council vehicles, including refuse trucks, without explicit permission from Birmingham City Council are prohibited for a period of three months.

The authority has emphasised that the injunction does not outlaw lawful picketing or peaceful protest; it is specifically targeted at blocking operations that stop refuse vehicles from leaving waste depots or interfere with council efforts to collect household waste. Breaching the injunction can result in contempt of court charges, with possible penalties including fines or imprisonment, the council has warned.

Unite has so far declined to comment publicly on the new legal order, and union leaders have historically characterised council and legal responses as attempts to weaken strike leverage. Critics of the injunction argue that such measures risk sidelining the industrial rights of workers by restricting traditional strike tactics, although supporters say limiting obstruction of essential services is necessary to protect public health.

The strike has had substantial impacts on everyday life in Birmingham, contributing to uncollected rubbish accumulating on streets, increased complaints about sanitation issues, and ongoing negotiations between the council and union representatives with no clear end in sight. Contingency crews have been deployed at times to mitigate waste build‑ups, but residents continue to feel the effects of irregular collections.

As legal and industrial pressures converge, the injunction marks a new phase in the dispute, reflecting the judiciary’s willingness to impose limits on protest activity when it intersects with essential public services. Both sides in the dispute face continued negotiation and public scrutiny as Birmingham residents await a resolution to the waste service crisis.