Bin strike chaos continues across Birmingham

National World - LocalTV

Overflowing bins, rat sightings and growing frustration in Birmingham as the city’s bin strike drags on. With talks failing and warnings of job losses, pressure mounts on both the council and the union to find a solution.

Transcript

00:00Birmingham's bin strike is now in its third month. Heaps of rubbish are lining streets

00:09in every part of the city, bins are overflowing, there are reports of rats and residents say

00:15they've had enough. The strike began after a dispute between the

00:19Liberian council and the Unite union over plans to scrap a key role in the Y service.

00:25Unite says workers face losing thousands in pay. The council disputes that and insists

00:30no one will lose a penny. Talks between the two sides have broken down

00:34and now the council says it may have to begin compulsory redundancies, a move Unite calls

00:40disgraceful. The authority says almost three quarters of

00:43staff have accepted the offer or chosen voluntary redundancy, but more than 70 workers remain

00:49in dispute, some still striking, others working under protest.

00:54Meanwhile anger has spilled beyond the picket line, residents have flooded social media

00:58with complaints, some have called the strike embarrassing, others say Birmingham's reputation

01:03is being damaged. In a letter to Unite, West Midlands Mayor

01:07Richard Parker called for the strike to be paused. The council says it's extended recycling

01:12hours, rolled out more mobile units and targeted fly tipping hotspots, but for many households

01:18bins haven't been collected for weeks. Some say political leaders should step down, others

01:23are demanding a complete overhaul of the system. Unite says it will return to talks but wants

01:29real answers over equal pay and roll changes. The council says its offer remains open and

01:35insists it's acted fairly. Until a deal is struck, the stalemate continues

01:40and Brummies are left to deal with the mess.

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