Bin strike escalates as Councillor quits union

National World - LocalTV

Birmingham’s ongoing bin strike has taken a fresh turn as cabinet member Majid Mahmood quits Unite over alleged threats on the picket line. With services disrupted and refund costs rising, major waste system changes may now be delayed.

Transcript

00:00The ever-deepening damage of the bin strikes is becoming more clear.

00:06What began as a dispute over job roles has turned into a wider row,

00:10one that's testing the council's leadership and straining services across Birmingham.

00:15Cabinet Member for Environment, Majid Mahmood, has now quit Unite the Union,

00:19accusing striking workers of intimidation on picket lines.

00:23He claims that some have threatened violence and blocked lorries.

00:27Unite rejects that outright, saying its members are acting lawfully, peacefully and within official guidance.

00:33But the strike is already having consequences beyond the picket line.

00:36Rubbish collection is patchy.

00:38Streets in many areas are now visibly affected,

00:41with some residents going weeks without a bin pick-up.

00:44Garden waste collections have been scrapped

00:47and the council's been forced to refund those who paid the £61 fee.

00:51That alone adds extra financial pressure to a council

00:54already battling a major funding crisis.

00:57And there's more at stake.

00:59A planned transformation of waste services now at risk of delay.

01:03That programme was meant to save money and improve long-term reliability.

01:07Delays could carry cost implications

01:10and risk missing key targets to improve recycling rates,

01:13which remain well below national averages.

01:16With external auditors already raising concerns about poor service management,

01:20there's added pressure to get this right.

01:23Councillor Mahmood says he's still committed to improving services

01:27but that the strike is holding everything back.

01:30He's urging Unite to return to talks.

01:33But with trust low and accusations flying in both directions,

01:37there's no clear end in sight

01:39and no quick fix for a city still struggling with the fallout.

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