Words by Tracy Fisher and Ed King
Tensions flared earlier this month after the presence of a protest group on the car park by Castle Pool, off Farnborough Road, limited access for local schools coming for swimming sessions.
On Thursday 5 February, members of Unite the Union supporting industrial action by the city’s bin workers organised an afternoon of public engagement.
But staff from the swimming pool warned coaches bringing local children in to use the facility would have been blocked from accessing the public car park.
Speaking to our Castle Vale Local reporter as the protest was still taking place, a senior member of staff from Castle Pool told: “I did ask them to move, purely because we have schools come in and… they need somewhere to park, and [the Unite members] wouldn’t move and still haven’t moved now.”
They added: “I found [the Unite members] to be very rude to be honest. Not the best at all, just ransacking everybody who’s walking through just to take [rubbish to] the bins.
“It’s not good, it’s not good at all… its safeguarding for us at the pool as well, it’s not good.”
Local residents were also hampered getting their rubbish to the Mobile Household Waste Centre (MHWC), a Council operated free to access waste collection unit scheduled to be on the car park from 7.30am to 12.30pm.
Residents were seen parking elsewhere and having to walk their wheelie bins to Mobile ‘Tip Truck’ at the preapproved collection point on the car park.
One of the protest group, identifying themselves as part of Unite the Union, explained: “We’re here to try and raise awareness to the residents of Castle Vale, because a lot of people are still unaware of why we’re striking.”
When asked about reports the presence of the group had been making it difficult for residents to access the Mobile Tip Truck, with cars unable to fully access Castle Pool car park, they added: “No, no we haven’t. We’ve just been talking to local residents, explaining why we’re here, what we’re doing.
“Mostly once they’ve understood the situation, and why we’re here and why we’re striking, a lot of the local residents [are] totally supporting us now…. we’ve had a couple that were against us and we’ve managed to sway them and now [they] fully support us.”
One local resident, John, who was at Castle Pool Car Park whilst Unite were present and regularly uses the Mobile Tip Truck, told Castle Vale Local: “I think with the amount of Unite people here it’s a bit intimidating.”
He added: “But you know, I listened to them, what they had to say, because there’s always two sides to every story.”
The Unite the Union bin workers dispute with Birmingham City Council has been ongoing since March 2025 amid concerns over job losses and heavy pay cuts. In a recent ballot, Unite members voted to continue the strikes until September this year.
The industrial action is part of an ongoing issue over between Unite the Union, representing waste management staff, and Birmingham City Council, that has been affecting the city since John Clancy was Leader in 2018.
Earlier in the morning of 5 February, there were added reports of friction between Castle Vale’s Councillor Ray Goodwin (Labour) and the Unite bin striker protest group.
Cllr Goodwin, who is also Birmingham Labour’s Chief Whip, has been active in securing the MHWC trucks in coming to Castle Vale – with the North Birmingham estate receiving more visits than other areas across the city.
The senior member of staff from Castle Pool previously quoted also witnessed the altercation with Cllr Goodwin. They told: “It wasn’t very nice, they (protest group members) were like pushing him (Cllr Goodwin) really, to move out the way…”
They added: “There was about ten (protest group members) there… there’s absolute no need for that anyway, whatever you’re trying to do.”
Castle Pool is run Castle Pool Community Partnership, made up of local staff and community volunteers, following an asset transfer from Birmingham City Council in 2015 which saved the swimming pool from closure.
A member of the protest group identifying themselves as a Unite member confirmed: “We had a local councillor here this morning… [He] got a bit upset when I asked him whose pockets were being lined through this, so that says it all doesn’t it.”
Castle Vale Local has reached out to Councillor Goodwin and Unite the Union for further comment. At the time of writing, neither has responded with a public statement.
Others quoted in this article have had their identities shielded for fear of reprisals.
An event labelled ‘Unite the Union Bin Strike Public Meeting’ is being held at the Castle Vale Residents Association Club, on Yatesbury Avenue, on Thursday 19 February – between 6pm and 8pm.
Flyers for the event invite Castle Vale residents to “come along and ask questions to bin workers about the strike”, with “light refreshments provided”.
The Mobile Household Waste Centre is scheduled to be back on Castle Vale on 28 March (by Castle Pool) and 31 March (321 Yatesbury Avenue).
If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this article, or have something you’d like to add to the story, please get in touch by emailing: [email protected]
