As the rubbish piles grow and rats roam freely through the streets of Birmingham, frustration among residents is boiling over.
But what’s sparking even more outrage isn’t just the trash—it’s where the people behind the strike actually live.
Union Leaders Under Fire for Living Far From the Crisis Zone
Leading the charge in this heated dispute is Unite regional secretary Annmarie Kilcline, who has faced a wave of criticism—not just for her role, but for the fact that she lives a comfortable 50 miles away in the tidy Nottinghamshire suburb of Beeston.
While Birmingham neighborhoods battle overflowing bins and a worsening vermin problem, her street remains spotless.
Speaking from her £600,000 home, Kilcline acknowledged the severe disruption residents are enduring.
But she insisted the impact on workers is just as intense, claiming they’re facing significant financial losses due to the council’s handling of the situation.
Rejecting a ‘Bad Deal’
Kilcline defended the union’s decision to reject what she described as an inadequate offer from the city council, despite Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner encouraging the union to accept a “significantly improved” deal.
According to Kilcline, 98 percent of the striking bin workers turned down the proposal.
“Our members stand to lose around £8,000 in salary,” she explained.
“These are not high earners, and the council’s poor management—while it’s bankrupt, mind you—is putting them in a terrible position.”
She also suggested that bin collections still occurring in more affluent neighborhoods like Sutton Coldfield reflect unfair priorities, hinting at inequality in how services are being restored.
A Clean Life Outside Birmingham
Photos surfaced recently showing Kilcline’s husband, Mark Labbett, taking out their garbage at their home, where regular bin service continues without disruption.
This visual has only fueled public anger.
She’s not alone in facing criticism. Unite’s general secretary Sharon Graham, one of the loudest voices in support of the strike, lives around 130 miles away in west London.
Local union members have accused her of sidelining West Midlands officials and dragging out the dispute for national political purposes.
Critics Say Leadership Is Out of Touch
Other key union leaders involved in the strike—including Onay Kasab and Clare Keogh—also live far outside Birmingham, in areas with reliable and frequent waste collections.
Kasab resides in Kent, over 150 miles away, while Keogh is based in leafy Kingston upon Thames.
Asked about his distance from the mess, Kasab defended his position, saying, “Just because my bins are getting collected doesn’t mean I won’t stand by our members.”
Even Unite’s West Midlands regional officer, Zoe Mayou, lives 30 miles outside of Birmingham in Nuneaton.
When confronted with the city’s worsening rat problem, she responded, “There have always been rats… you’re never more than six feet away from one.”
Birmingham Residents Say They’re Paying the Price
Locals aren’t buying those explanations.
“They should come here and live with this filth for a week,” said 52-year-old Muhammed Amin.
“We’ve got rats in homes, garbage outside our doors. But those people living in Nottingham and London—they’re not dealing with this. We are.”
Engineer Fyke Rehman echoed the sentiment, saying the union’s leaders are simply “unaffected.”
Care worker Farah, a mother of young children, says her kids are now afraid to play outside.
“I just paid my council tax—and it’s gone up—but for what?”
City Officials Call for an End to the Strike
The Labour-led Birmingham City Council has pleaded with Unite to rethink its position.
Craig Cooper from the council urged the union to return to the table, pointing out that a “very, very fair offer” had already been made.
“This strike needs to end. We’re ready to restore services and begin a proper transformation,” Cooper said.
Unite Stands Firm
In response to the backlash over the leaders living far from the affected city, a Unite spokesperson said the criticism misses the point.
“Unite makes no apologies for standing up for workers who are facing up to a 25 percent loss in pay.
“That’s the real story. These are low-paid workers being hit hard, and we’re going to protect them.”