Calls for unity as Birmingham bin strike drags on

National World - LocalTV

Birmingham’s bin strike enters its sixth week with no deal in sight. As council leaders and union reps dig in, residents face health risks, mounting waste, and a city in crisis. Richard Gullick reports.

Transcript

00:00The bin strike in Birmingham has become more than just an industrial dispute.

00:04It's a standoff that's left tens of thousands of tonnes of waste festering on the streets with no clear resolution in sight.

00:12The council says it's making real progress in clearing the backlog but take a stroll through inner city areas like Sparkhill or Aston

00:19and the stench of missed collections tells another story.

00:24It all started with the decision to scrap the Waste Recycling and Collection Officer role.

00:28That's the higher paid job on the back of the lorry.

00:32The council says it's outdated and risks triggering more equal pay claims.

00:38Unite the union representing the workers says it's a safety critical role

00:42and axing it could leave some workers over £6,000 worse off.

00:48The council insists not a single worker needs to lose a penny, offering alternative roles.

00:54Meanwhile community groups are picking up the slack.

00:57Residents in Aston cleared bags of waste ahead of a big match at Villa Park.

01:02And after public pressure, the council made its controversial pest control charge, dubbed the rat tax, temporarily free.

01:10The devoid is plain to see.

01:12Wealthier suburbs have stayed clean.

01:14Densely packed inner city streets have borne the brunt.

01:17And with 493 agency workers already filling gaps in refuse,

01:23some suspect that temporary labour has been used to undercut the strike.

01:28Council leader John Cotton says the door remains open,

01:32but it's hard to see how progress gets made

01:34when both sides are locked into their own version of reality.

01:39Until then, the black bags keep piling up and so does public frustration.

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