The leader appointed by the Conservative Party in Birmingham, where residents are suffering from ongoing waste collection issues due to a strike, resides more than 100 miles away in London, unaffected by the trash chaos. Birmingham’s council waste workers are on an indefinite strike over pay and job concerns, while Max Caller, the council’s lead commissioner, lives in London, distancing himself from the mounting rubbish problem.
Caller, known as “Max the Axe” for his cost-cutting reputation, was appointed by former Conservative minister Michael Gove in October 2023. Public records show that Caller has spent over £9,000 on hotel stays in the past year, in addition to earning £186,360 in fees and spending £3,035.07 on travel. Unite general secretary Sharon Graham criticized these expenses, highlighting the disparity between Caller’s expenditures and the low wages of frontline refuse collection workers in Birmingham.
Despite the council’s financial difficulties and the ongoing waste dispute, efforts to resolve the situation have been unsuccessful. A spokesperson for Birmingham City Council emphasized the importance of reaching a resolution with the striking workers to improve waste collection services for the city’s residents. The council acknowledges residents’ frustrations and urges Unite to engage in constructive discussions to address the ongoing dispute and bring about much-needed service transformation.