ROTTEN TO THE CORE
Fears bin chaos in ‘3rd world’ UK city will spread NATIONWIDE with ‘deadly’ cat-sized rats sparking public health CRISIS
Unite says the dispute will not end unless 'hugely damaging' cuts to wages are reversed
FEARS are growing that bin strike chaos could soon spread across the UK and spark a public health crisis.
Industrial action by refuse workers - who are unhappy about pay and job cuts - has seen mountains of uncollected waste piling up across Birmingham.
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Locals have reported "rats the size of cats" scavenging through the bin bags.
And residents say the row has left many areas resembling a "third world country" with serious concerns now growing about public health.
The all-out strike by members of the Unite union started on March 11, but waste collections have been disrupted since January.
Now, the trade union's boss has warned that similar style bin strikes could break out in other UK areas.
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Health Secretary Wes Streeting has voiced his concern over the "public health situation" in Birmingham which has seen rats "crawling around".
"I certainly am concerned about the public health situation and the poor conditions we're seeing for people in Birmingham," he told Times Radio.
But Clare Keogh, the national officer for local government at Unite, said there was “massive potential this will escalate”.
She told the i newspaper that ballots for strike action in other areas were being considered with anger at council cuts "growing nationwide".
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Ms Keogh said: “In Birmingham, and many other councils we’ve seen over the last few years, our members have been prepared to walk out, saying this just isn’t good enough and we’re not going to take any more cuts.
“That anger is growing, and we’re seeing that in the increasing number of strike ballots that we’re taking forward. I think if the Government doesn’t get a grip on it, that will definitely escalate.”
Unite says the dispute will not end unless the "hugely damaging" cuts to bin collectors' wages are reversed.
The union claims the move to get rid of the role of waste recycling and collection officer (WRCO) will leave about 150 members £8,000 worse off.
Birmingham City Council declared a major incident over the risks to public health and environmental damage caused by the strikes by Unite union members last Monday.
Minister urges Unite to 'step up' to reach agreement in Birmingham
The Labour-run council said actions on the picket line have blocked contingency vehicles from getting out.
Mr Streeting added that it is "totally unacceptable" that the dispute has seen bin lorries blocked from leaving the depot.
"I understand industrial disputes happen. I understand people have the right to withdraw their labour. That's part and parcel of industrial relations in our country.
"But what is not acceptable is allowing these sorts of unsanitary conditions to occur on people's streets.
"I'm urging Unite to do the right thing, stop blocking the bin lorries, and allow people to get out there and clean the streets for the people of Birmingham who suffered for far too long.
"As the bin bags are piling up, we see rats and other vermin crawling around.
"That's not good for public health. I think this dispute has escalated way out of hand."
Warm and dry weather is expected to continue across the country for the whole of this week which could exacerbate the situation.
It comes as infectious disease expert Dr Elizabeth Sheridan has said the rats could breed faster due to the heat.
This could potentially increase the spread of "deadly" Leptospirosis (Weil's disease).
Leptospirosis is spread in the pee of infected animals, most commonly rats, mice, cows, pigs and dogs.
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And rodent numbers are now booming because of overflowing wheelie bins and missed rounds, Sutton Coldfield firm Hullternative Pest Control said.
The company revealed it has seen a 70 to 80 per cent increase in calls and has tripled its orders for rat poison since the strikes began on March 11.
Service manager Martin Hull described the piles of rubbish as a "buffet on tap" for the pests.
He told BirminghamLive: "The rats are bigger and a lot braver…If we try to put poison down, it will not work because there's too much food."
Brummies say the row has left neighbourhoods looking like "war zones".
Dad-of-two Emil Laursen, 34, said: "We are fast transforming into a third world city… This whole situation is a mess, quite literally"
Mazar Dad, 56, a former manager at a waste depot, fears it will take "months and months" to shift the rubbish.
Birmingham Council leader John Cotton said: "I respect the right to strike and protest.
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"However, actions on the picket line must be lawful and sadly the behaviour of some now means we are seeing a significant impact on residents and the city's environment.
"Unless we declare a major incident and deploy the waste service's contingency plan, then we would be unable to clear the backlog of waste on the streets or improve the frequency of collections."
Bin strikes and rat swarms in Birmingham
A bin strike in Birmingham has caused 17,000 tonnes of rubbish to pile up in the city.
The strike began on March 11, when the Unite union kicked back at the City Council's cuts to waste collection.
In a bid to save money, the council announced plans to cut waste collection and recycling officer roles.
In September 2023, the council had been slapped with a £790 million bill which left them essentially bankrupt.
In an effort to support their strike, the binmen have begun blocking emergency waste trucks from leaving the depot.
This has caused the rubbish piles to grow even larger, which have become the ideal breeding grounds for swarms of cat-sized rats.
No.10 Downing Street has weighed in on the issue and demanded that Unite meet Birmingham City Council at the negotiating table.
For now, the strike has entered its 30th day and the piles of rubbish have grown even higher.
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