Bin strike fix is 'matter of urgency' says mayor

The mayor of the West Midlands has demanded a resolution to the ongoing bin worker strikes in Birmingham on the eve of a full walkout by staff.

Refuse workers have staged a series of one-day strikes across the city since January over pay and working conditions.

In February, trade union Unite said staff had voted to move to all-out action from Tuesday.

In a statement, Birmingham City Council said the escalation would lead to "greater disruption to residents, despite the fair and reasonable offer that the council made to the union".

Speaking ahead of the strike, Richard Parker, mayor for the West Midlands, said the union and the council should sit down to find a resolution as a "matter of urgency".

"This bin strike is doing damage to the people of Birmingham," he said.

"They're not getting their waste collected and their streets are getting increasingly filthy.

"Both sides need to sit down in earnest and with real seriousness to address this issue. "

Union bosses have said the strikes started due to a dispute over pay and conditions, particularly the loss of a certain job role.

Residents are also voicing their frustration over the situation, with a petition which calls on the Labour-run council to "take immediate action to resolve the ongoing failures" attracting more than 4,000 signatures as of Monday.

The petition's organiser, Nicola Walker, wrote that overflowing bins "attract pests and create foul smells" and demanded an immediate resolution.

"The council are leaving the streets full of rubbish which in turn will make the city's rat problem even worse," one resident added.

Birmingham City Council have been approached for further comment.

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