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| Birmingham bin strike latest: Army experts called in to help | Birmingham bin strike latest: Army experts called in to help |
| (31 minutes later) | |
| Military planners have been called in to help tackle mounting piles of rubbish on Birmingham's streets following a month-long strike by refuse workers. | Military planners have been called in to help tackle mounting piles of rubbish on Birmingham's streets following a month-long strike by refuse workers. |
| Unite union members have been on an all-out strike since 11 March is a row over pay, leading to thousands of tonnes of uncollected rubbish and the city council declaring a major incident. | Unite union members have been on an all-out strike since 11 March is a row over pay, leading to thousands of tonnes of uncollected rubbish and the city council declaring a major incident. |
| Birmingham City Council has already appealed to neighbouring authorities to help and now the government has asked for help from the Army in tackling the crisis. | Birmingham City Council has already appealed to neighbouring authorities to help and now the government has asked for help from the Army in tackling the crisis. |
| The move will see a small number of office-based planners providing logistical support for a short period. Soldiers are not being deployed to collect rubbish. | The move will see a small number of office-based planners providing logistical support for a short period. Soldiers are not being deployed to collect rubbish. |
| A government spokesperson said: "The government has already provided a number of staff to support the council with logistics and make sure the response on the ground is swift to address the associated public health risks. | A government spokesperson said: "The government has already provided a number of staff to support the council with logistics and make sure the response on the ground is swift to address the associated public health risks. |
| "In light of the ongoing public health risk, a small number of office-based military personnel with operational planning expertise have been made available to Birmingham City Council to further support in this area." | "In light of the ongoing public health risk, a small number of office-based military personnel with operational planning expertise have been made available to Birmingham City Council to further support in this area." |
| Why are Birmingham bin workers on strike? | |
| The spokesperson added this built on a range of measures on which it had supported the council, including opening household waste centres. | The spokesperson added this built on a range of measures on which it had supported the council, including opening household waste centres. |
| People have been taking refuse to centres and collection points which have seen long queues | |
| Last week, Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner urged striking bin workers to accept a new deal to end the dispute. | Last week, Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner urged striking bin workers to accept a new deal to end the dispute. |
| She said a "significantly improved" offer had been made and the council had "moved significantly to meet the demands of the workers so we can see an end to this dispute". | She said a "significantly improved" offer had been made and the council had "moved significantly to meet the demands of the workers so we can see an end to this dispute". |
| However, Unite General Secretary Sharon Graham said the deal represented "a partial deal on pay protection for a few" and the striking bin workers were "in the driving seat around what they wish to accept". | However, Unite General Secretary Sharon Graham said the deal represented "a partial deal on pay protection for a few" and the striking bin workers were "in the driving seat around what they wish to accept". |
| At the end of March, the Labour-run city council declared a major incident, citing an estimated 17,000 tonnes of rubbish across Birmingham over the first four weeks of the strike. | At the end of March, the Labour-run city council declared a major incident, citing an estimated 17,000 tonnes of rubbish across Birmingham over the first four weeks of the strike. |
| Follow BBC Birmingham on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram. | Follow BBC Birmingham on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram. |