City council obtains interim injunction over picketing and protests outside waste depots

Birmingham City Council last week (23 May) secured an interim injunction in the High Court over picketing and protests outside its three waste depots.

The local authority said the injunction would ensure behaviour outside the depots is “in accordance with legal provisions”, and prevent the obstruction of leaving vehicles.

A further hearing will take place on Thursday.

The council said: “Our priority is to deliver a reliable waste service to the people of Birmingham and since the Police withdrew their S14 powers last week, that has not been possible. We have seen an increase in disruption at our depots, with workers and vehicles being prevented from doing their jobs. This has in-turn led to a backlog of approx. 12,800 tonnes of waste on the streets.”

It added: “The council has been negotiating with Unite since the start of this strike around the behaviours we have seen at our depots, and whilst everyone has a right to protest, the council has a public health duty to uphold and clearing waste is central to this.

“We believe that these actions are in breach of the law, as a result the council issued Unite’s lawyers with a letter before action at the start of the week. We were subsequently given assurances in writing that there would be a change at the depots. This has not happened, and they have breached those reassurances this morning by again not allowing our trucks to leave.”

Birmingham said applying to the Court was “not something we wanted to do”.

A Unite spokesperson said: “Unite will continue to conduct a lawful and peaceful picket.

“It is regrettable that the council is expending its energies and prioritising High Court action, while its promise to table a fair offer to workers who face financial misery through the planned imposition of huge pay cuts, has been repeatedly delayed.”