Mountains of Christmas rubbish on streets of Birmingham as bin strikes continue

Footage shows mountains of festive rubbish piled up on the streets of Birmingham after nearly 12 months of bin strikes.

Residents have spoken of their ongoing anger after bins were left brimming with overflowing waste just a couple of days after December 25. Piles of black bin bags, including Christmas leftovers, have been left to rot on the streets in the Small Heath and Bordesley Green areas.

With the long-running industrial action continuing families say they now have no idea when their rubbish will be collected. Strike action has been going on since January after Birmingham City Council bin workers walked out in a dispute over pay and jobs. Locals say overflowing wheelie bins and fly-tipped waste are making life hell as the strikes look likely to continue into the new year.

Dad-of-one Paul Dalgliesh, 44, of Small Heath, said: "I was dreading the festive period and within a day after Christmas the rubbish got worse.

"It just makes you feel ashamed, you look around and you are embarrassed to live in this city at the minute. To see rats running around the place just makes you depressed. And at this time of the year, you want the complete opposite. 

"It has been hard to get into the festive spirit when you look out your door and just see the street's a complete mess. Everyone is fed up."

Anotherresident, who did not wish to be named, said: "I'm asthmatic and feel really bad walking past it. There's loads of rats but we just have to live with it. It is such a mess and we don't know what to do. People have been doing their best but others who aren't as considerate just come along and fly tip. It has been hell and it has now nearly been a year, when will it all end?" 

One resident, Gail Burgess, said: "You now get fly-tipping on top of the bin strikes because nobody does anything about it. The shops just dump their rubbish out."

Unite said members were planning a third 'megapicket' in the city next month and warned action could continue beyond May’s local elections. Walkouts first began in January following a dispute about the council's plan to remove Waste Recycling and Collection Officer roles. An indefinite all-out strike began in March.

Birmingham council workers will also now be joined on picket lines by agency workers employed by Job & Talent on the refuse contract.

Unite national lead officer Onay Kasab said: “Residents of Birmingham will be rightly concerned to see that the misery of bin strikes can continue through Christmas, New Year and beyond May’s local elections but the council is solely responsible for the ongoing dispute.

“Unite remains fully committed to return to meaningful negotiations to secure a fair deal for affected workers while also ensuring the endemic bullying culture and threats of blacklisting are stamped out."

A Birmingham City Council spokesperson said: “The council has engaged in negotiations with Unite for the past 12 months and as is right and proper they have been led by professional council officers.

“Whilst we remain committed to reaching a negotiated settlement, Unite have rejected our fair and reasonable offers.

"Now, we are pushing on with delivering the waste service that the people of Birmingham expect and deserve."

Councillor Majid Mahmood, cabinet member for environment and transport, said: "We will aim to work in the local area to identify the root cause of the problems and to tackle the issue.

"Fly tipping harms where we all have to live and work and is carried out by environmental criminals that have no regard for our neighbourhoods or their wellbeing.

"When fly-tipping occurs, we act as quickly as possible. Our crews clear hundreds of fly tipping reports each week; this is in addition to the work our neighbourhood crews undertake to clean up across the city.

“Everyone needs to play their part in maintaining a clean environment. We have plenty of lawful options for people to responsibly dispose of waste or unwanted items.

"We are committed to prosecuting fly tippers whenever possible, and we encourage residents to provide reports and evidence for us to do so."