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| Talks to resume as Birmingham bin strike now in seventh week | |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| The ongoing dispute has seen mountains of waste pile up in some areas of the city | The ongoing dispute has seen mountains of waste pile up in some areas of the city |
| Talks are set to continue on Wednesday to end a strike by Birmingham bin workers which has seen mountains of uncollected rubbish pile up on pavements and street corners. | Talks are set to continue on Wednesday to end a strike by Birmingham bin workers which has seen mountains of uncollected rubbish pile up on pavements and street corners. |
| Negotiations between the city council and the Unite union were due to resume from 12:30 BST. | Negotiations between the city council and the Unite union were due to resume from 12:30 BST. |
| The strike, now in its seventh week, led to a major incident being declared last month amid concerns for public health and the environment. | |
| At the House of Commons on Tuesday, Jim McMahon, housing, communities and local government minister, renewed calls for Unite to call off the strike. | At the House of Commons on Tuesday, Jim McMahon, housing, communities and local government minister, renewed calls for Unite to call off the strike. |
| He said at least 26,000 tonnes of rubbish had been removed from Birmingham's streets and "regular bin collections have resumed" amid the disruption. | He said at least 26,000 tonnes of rubbish had been removed from Birmingham's streets and "regular bin collections have resumed" amid the disruption. |
| Why are Birmingham's bin workers on strike? | |
| How much do bin workers get paid? | |
| 'My recycling has not been taken since January' | |
| Hundreds of bin workers have been on all-out strike during the dispute over pay and jobs. Recycling and garden waste collections were suspended at the beginning of the year. | |
| Local government minister Jim McMahon said there was not a requirement for military troops to collect waste | |
| Responding to an urgent question from Conservative shadow minister Kevin Hollinrake, McMahon on Tuesday urged the union to accept a council offer. | Responding to an urgent question from Conservative shadow minister Kevin Hollinrake, McMahon on Tuesday urged the union to accept a council offer. |
| "The industrial action is in no one's interest because the deal on the table is a good deal," he said. | "The industrial action is in no one's interest because the deal on the table is a good deal," he said. |
| "The government will continue to be on the side of the people of Birmingham and to support the council into creating a sustainable, a fair and a reliable waste service that its residents deserve." | "The government will continue to be on the side of the people of Birmingham and to support the council into creating a sustainable, a fair and a reliable waste service that its residents deserve." |
| In a recent statement, Unite said a deal "would be much closer" if promises made by the council in interviews were put in writing. | In a recent statement, Unite said a deal "would be much closer" if promises made by the council in interviews were put in writing. |
| John Cotton, leader of Birmingham City Council, previously said he was keen the two parties continued talking so they could bring the dispute to a close. | John Cotton, leader of Birmingham City Council, previously said he was keen the two parties continued talking so they could bring the dispute to a close. |
| McMahon said at least 26,000 tonnes of rubbish had been removed from the streets | McMahon said at least 26,000 tonnes of rubbish had been removed from the streets |
| In the Commons, Hollinrake had asked whether the deputy prime minister and secretary of state for housing Angela Rayner would make a statement on the disruption to waste collection, and the use of the military in Birmingham. | In the Commons, Hollinrake had asked whether the deputy prime minister and secretary of state for housing Angela Rayner would make a statement on the disruption to waste collection, and the use of the military in Birmingham. |
| He also accused her of "failing to stand up to the unions [and] failing to protect residents of the UK's second city". | He also accused her of "failing to stand up to the unions [and] failing to protect residents of the UK's second city". |
| Under the military provision, a small number of office-based Army planners are to provide logistical support to the council. | Under the military provision, a small number of office-based Army planners are to provide logistical support to the council. |
| "To be clear, the military are not needed on the streets of Birmingham, the council have it in hand," McMahon said. | "To be clear, the military are not needed on the streets of Birmingham, the council have it in hand," McMahon said. |
| He told the House he didn't think anyone took pride in the strike action and it was "not acceptable" that a major incident had to be called. | He told the House he didn't think anyone took pride in the strike action and it was "not acceptable" that a major incident had to be called. |
| He urged both parties to "negotiate in good faith". | He urged both parties to "negotiate in good faith". |
| "The government is not the employer of the workforce in Birmingham, the council is the employer.... and it's for the employer and the employees to reach an agreement that both can accept," he added. | "The government is not the employer of the workforce in Birmingham, the council is the employer.... and it's for the employer and the employees to reach an agreement that both can accept," he added. |
| He also said the government strongly encouraged Unite to suspend strike action during negotiations. | He also said the government strongly encouraged Unite to suspend strike action during negotiations. |
| 'Enough is enough' | 'Enough is enough' |
| Wendy Morton, Conservative MP for the Walsall seat of Aldridge-Brownhills, asked the minister what the government and Labour-run Birmingham City Council were doing to bring an end to the strike. | Wendy Morton, Conservative MP for the Walsall seat of Aldridge-Brownhills, asked the minister what the government and Labour-run Birmingham City Council were doing to bring an end to the strike. |
| "The rats, the squeaky blinders, do continue to roam freely in the streets of Britain's second city," she said. | "The rats, the squeaky blinders, do continue to roam freely in the streets of Britain's second city," she said. |
| "Enough is enough, residents want to see an end to this." | "Enough is enough, residents want to see an end to this." |
| Follow BBC Birmingham on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram. | Follow BBC Birmingham on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram. |