Birmingham bin workers REJECT deal to end strike as rats run riot and military experts called in

Refuse workers have rejected a deal aimed at ending a long-running . Unite said its members in voted overwhelmingly against what the union described as the council’s “totally inadequate” offer, which it maintained still included pay cuts.

Hundreds of workers have been on all-out strike for a month, leading to rubbish piling up on the streets. Unite said the offer did not address potential pay cuts for 200 drivers. Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “For weeks, these workers have faced attacks from government and their employer pushing the lie that only a handful of workers are affected by the council’s plans to cut pay by up to £8,000.

“Instead of peddling untruths about these low-paid workers and focusing on winning a media war, the government should have taken the time to check facts and used its office to bring the council to the table in a meaningful way.

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“The rejection of the offer is no surprise as these workers simply cannot afford to take pay cuts of this magnitude to pay the price for bad decision after bad decision.

“From the start, the council has constantly moved the goalposts for these workers, prolonging the strikes in the process. First it was equal pay, then it was about improving the waste service, then cost cutting. The list goes on.

“Unite has set out simple and reasonable steps to the council to resolve these issues. It is important to remember that this dispute is not about a pay rise, it is about preventing serious pay cuts.”

Ms Graham added: “The government must now call a meeting with the stakeholders to ensure these steps are taken to bring the strike to an end.

“The government must now also urgently consider Unite’s proposal for debt restructure at Birmingham City Council and other local authorities. Workers and communities cannot continue to pay the price.”

This comes after it emerged military personnel had been called in to help tackle the rubbish piling up on Birmingham’s streets. The action by members of Unite has seen thousands of tonnes of rubbish go uncollected and warnings of a public health emergency, with rats now running riot across the city.

Soldiers are not being deployed to collect rubbish but a small number of office-based military planners have been called in by the Government to give short-term logistical support. A Government spokesperson said this was due to “the ongoing public health risk” and comes after household waste centres have been opened in the city.

Number 10 said on Monday that the military personnel helping the council have “operational planning expertise”. The Prime Minister’s official spokesman told reporters that the recruits were “purely office-based military personnel with operational planning expertise”, with “no plans” to bring in frontline personnel to help the authority.