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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
Business
Alan Jones

Rally to be held to support Birmingham’s striking bin workers

Piles of uncollected rubbish in Sparkhill, Birmingham (Jacob King/PA) - (PA Wire)

A rally will be held on Saturday in support of bin workers in Birmingham who have been on all out strike for over six months in a bitter dispute over pay and jobs.

Union members from across the country will join the protest in Birmingham as members of Unite continue taking industrial action.

The union says its members face a pay cut of thousands of pounds under plans to change staffing on refuse collection vehicles, which Birmingham City Council says is needed to reform and improve the service.

A rat runs towards rubbish bags in Poplar Road in Birmingham (Jacob King/PA) (PA Wire)

The two sides have not met for weeks, and no talks are planned, leaving the dispute deadlocked.

Unite has been critical of the Labour council and the Government for not doing enough to resolve the dispute.

Rubbish has been piling up on the city’s streets, although the council has called in help from neighbouring local authorities to collect bin bags as well as using vehicles from other parts of its operations.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “If Labour cannot see what is happening in Birmingham is wrong, it is little wonder workers are turning away from them in droves.”

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