00:00Overflowing bins aren't just an eyesore, they're a daily reminder of a dispute that has stretched
00:06for half a year, with no end in sight. At the heart of it is money. How much crews stand
00:12to lose if a pie premium known as the WRCO is axed? The union claims dozens of workers
00:18face cuts worth thousands of pounds. The council counters that only a small group are affected,
00:24and by far less. That clash of figures has hardened into a stalemite. While the arguments
00:30continue, the consequences are felt on Birmingham streets. General waste is still being collected
00:36where possible, but recycling and garden waste remain suspended. For many households, that means
00:42months without the services they pay for. Residents are adapting in different ways, some storing extra
00:48bags indoors, some making repeated trips to household tips, and others forced to watch
00:53rubbish pile up outside their homes. It shows how fragile bicycle services become when disputes
00:59aren't resolved quickly. This is more than inconvenience, it's a public health risk. Rotting waste attracts
01:07rats and floys. It also divides neighbourhoods, with some streets cleared and others left untouched.
01:13That uneven patchwork adds to the sense of neglect and fuels resentment. The council says it has to
01:19protect itself from more costly equal pay claims. The union says it is simply defending wages and respect
01:26at work. Both sides have dug in deeper, but the longer it lasts, the more trust in the system is worn away.
01:33For the people left with the stench, the fine detail of the dispute matters less than one blunt fact.
01:40Their bins are still full and nothing is charging fast.
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