Birmingham has announced a significant incident due to the ongoing bin strike.

Birmingham City Council has declared a major incident in light of the ongoing refuse collectors' strike, which has left 17,000 tonnes of waste accumulating on the city's streets.

Council leader John Cotton announced this action was taken amidst growing concerns over public health as the council finds it increasingly challenging to manage the refuse situation, prompting discussions in Parliament.

This declaration enables the council to expand its street cleaning and fly-tipping removal efforts, bringing in an additional 35 vehicles and crews to assist throughout the city. Since March 11, members of the Unite union have been on an indefinite strike over pay disputes, with the union claiming some workers could end up £8,000 worse off due to the current conditions. While the strike situation was being addressed in the House of Commons, the government indicated it was "monitoring the situation closely." According to Mr. Cotton, one of the main difficulties in clearing the waste has stemmed from picketers preventing refuse vehicles from leaving the depot. "The need to declare a major incident is regrettable," Cotton stated. "However, we cannot allow a situation that is causing harm and distress to communities across Birmingham. I respect the right to strike and protest, but picket line actions must remain lawful. Unfortunately, some behavior is now significantly impacting residents and the city's environment." He emphasized that unless a major incident was declared and the waste service's contingency plan put into action, the council would struggle to address the backlog of waste or enhance collection frequency. The declaration of a major incident also facilitates collaboration with partners to better manage the risks facing the city, potentially involving increased data sharing and consideration of additional support from neighboring councils and the government. Local government minister Jim McMahon reassured that "well-established arrangements" were in place and that the situation was being closely monitored. "If local leaders in Birmingham determine that these issues exceed their available resources and seek national support, we are prepared to respond to any such request," he affirmed.

Unite remains "determined" to achieve a resolution to the ongoing strike. Negotiations held on Thursday ended without agreement, and the council subsequently announced a period of collective consultation regarding potential compulsory redundancies.

Onay Kasab, Unite's national lead officer, remarked that threats of redundancies suggest the council was not serious about resolving the dispute. Nonetheless, he affirmed the union's commitment to continued negotiations. "Despite this, we will still engage in talks," he confirmed.
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