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A major incident was declared in Birmingham about an ongoing strike of the bowl, which left about 17,000 tonnes of waste in the city’s streets.
The Birmingham City Council said the ‘deplorable’ step was taken in response to public health issues, with picklings blocking depots and preventing waste vehicles from collecting garbage.
Unite members have been on an overall strike since March 11, which the union claims that some staff members will be £ 8,000 worse. A series of hikes have also affected garbage collections since January.
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By declaring a major incident, the council will be able to increase the availability of street cleansing and the removal of aircraft with another 35 vehicles and crews in the city.
This action will also allow the council to investigate what further support from the neighboring authorities and the government are available to help with the management of the situation.
Council leader John Cotton said it was a ‘deplorable’ step, but the situation caused the locals ‘damage and distress’.
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Birmingham is suffering from a crisis
“I respect the right to strike and protest, but actions on the twig must be legal, and the behavior of some people means that we have a significant influence on residents and the city’s environment,” he said.
Local Government Minister Jim McMahon said the extensive strike by Unite members caused “misery and disruption” to residents, as well as a “public health risk to the city’s most vulnerable and deprived”.
He said the government “stands ready” to respond to extra resources, but insisted that any agreement to end the Bin strike must “maintain value for money”.
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“They can’t hold the city to let go”
Mr. McMahon told the Commons: “It causes a public health risk to the city’s most vulnerable and deprives residents. Accordingly, I am aware that Birmingham today declared a major incident to give them the mechanisms to better manage the impact on locals.
“I support the decision, and I will support local leaders.”
The minister added that the government will “not hesitate to support in any way Birmingham leaders need”.
He said: “If local leaders on the ground in Birmingham feel that the approach of these issues goes beyond the resources available and requests their national support, then we are of course ready to respond to any such request.”
Members of the Unite Union met with the Birmingham City Council last Thursday, but so far talks have failed.
Unite says the dispute will not end unless the “lot of damage” cuts are reversed to the wages of the collectors.
But the Birmingham City Council says the purpose of the restructuring is to create a “modern, sustainable and consistently reliable waste collection service”.
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