Birmingham bin strike: 'I'm still keeping rubbish in the hallway'

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Residents in Birmingham are feeling the impact of six months of an all-out bin strike, with rubbish piling up in homes and on the streets. Pensioner Lorraine Boyce, in her 80s and living alone in Kings Norton, has recycling cluttering her hallway that the council has been unable to collect. Despite regular pick-ups of general waste, the ongoing dispute with the Unite union has left residents like Ms. Boyce stuck in the middle with no resolution in sight.

Ms. Boyce, a staunch believer in recycling, refuses to mix her recycling with general waste, but due to her circumstances, she is unable to take it to the tip herself. She expressed her disappointment in the situation, describing it as bad for the city’s reputation and morale. People are feeling neglected and unimportant as the strike drags on, impacting their daily lives and surroundings.

The strike is not isolated to one area, as other residents like Carolyn Bauer in South Yardley are also feeling the effects. Intermittent collections of general waste leave bin stores overflowing, attracting vermin and posing health hazards. Despite efforts to clean up their surroundings, residents like Bauer are left frustrated and hoping for a swift resolution to the ongoing crisis. In Aston, residents like Rob Brough and Naomi Clooney have resorted to tip runs to manage their waste, highlighting the inconvenience and embarrassment caused by the strike.

The Unite union blames the council’s “brutal” cuts for the strike, stating that up to 170 refuse workers face significant pay cuts. The union has criticized politicians for broken promises and misleading statements, vowing to extend the industrial action if a deal is not reached soon. With the potential for the strike to continue for at least another year, residents in Birmingham are bracing themselves for more disruptions to their daily lives and surroundings until a resolution is reached

Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More

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