This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . The next check for changes will be

You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cdjlz14yegno

The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Bin strike talks over Easter if needed - Birmingham City Council Bin strike talks over Easter if needed - Birmingham City Council
(about 1 hour later)
Hundreds of Unite members began an all-out strike on 11 MarchHundreds of Unite members began an all-out strike on 11 March
Birmingham City Council has not ruled out talks with union officials over the bank holiday weekend as the bin worker strike continues.Birmingham City Council has not ruled out talks with union officials over the bank holiday weekend as the bin worker strike continues.
Unite had claimed the authority was unwilling to meet again until next week. Unite said it was willing to meet over the Easter break but claimed the authority refused to resume negotiations until next week after talks broke down on Wednesday.
However, the council told the BBC on Thursday it would meet over the Easter period if necessary. However, the Labour-led council told the BBC on Thursday it would meet over the Easter period if necessary.
Earlier this week, the council stated it was on track to clear a backlog of uncollected waste by the weekend and on Thursday it said all of the authority's available waste wagons had been deployed from its three depots in the morning. It came as the authority's leader John Cotton met with local government minister Jim McMahon to update him on the strike and clean-up operation.
Hundreds of Unite members began an all-out strike on 11 March in a stand-off with the council that has led to bin bags and fly-tipped rubbish piling up on streets. Following the meeting, Cotton said the council was making "good progress" on clearing the backlog of waste, which the authority previously said would be cleared by the weekend.
On Wednesday, the union said if the authority "puts in writing what it is saying in public, a deal would be much closer". On the talks with Unite, the leader said negotiations could not progress until the union accepted the removal of the Waste Recycling and Collection Officer (WRCO) role would not be reversed.
Hundreds of Unite members began an all-out strike last month
"Our door remains open for further talks. However, to make progress Unite must accept reality," he added.
The councillor said that keeping the role, which the authority claimed no other council has, would risk creating a future equal pay liability.
"That wouldn't be fair for residents or workers and is a red line for Birmingham City Council," he said.
"We are open to good faith negotiations on the basis of the fair and reasonable offer on the table."
Why are Birmingham bin workers on strike?Why are Birmingham bin workers on strike?
Birmingham council 'on track' to clear waste backlogBirmingham council 'on track' to clear waste backlog
'Bin strike frustration is turning into anger''Bin strike frustration is turning into anger'
Neighbouring council to help clear bin strike wasteNeighbouring council to help clear bin strike waste
Video: Thick stench and piles of bin bagsVideo: Thick stench and piles of bin bags
Later, it claimed the authority was "telling untruths to the public" to suggest the deal on the table was better than it really was. The union said it had reiterated to the council on Thursday that it was willing to meet for talks over the Easter weekend.
The leader of the Labour-run council, John Cotton, said he was "mystified" by union comments, adding the authority had been very clear that "nobody needs to lose out". As well as the WRCO role issue, the union has more recently urged the council to guarantee bin lorry drivers' existing levels of pay.
In a statement on Thursday, the council said it agreed to resume talks next week and "would meet over the bank holiday period if necessary". It said drivers on strike had been told during talks their yearly pay was likely to go down from £40,000 to £32,000.
It added: "Birmingham City Council is happy to meet at any point." Cotton previously refused to give any guarantees over driver pay and said the role was the subject of an ongoing job evaluation process that was being undertaken across the local authority.
Since the start of April it had "collectively cleared 20,000 tonnes of waste", the authority stated. It came after the union said if the authority "puts in writing what it is saying in public, a deal would be much closer", referring to the councillor's comments to the BBC about no workers needing to lose any pay.
Last weekend, the council said its crews had been clearing about 1,500 tonnes of waste a day, with 100 to 120 refuse collection vehicles out every day. Rubbish has been piling up on the city's streets since the strike began
After the all-out strike started on 11 March, bin bags filled with waste have been piling up across the city as tonnes of waste went uncollected.
Since the start of April, the council has "collectively cleared 20,000 tonnes of waste", the authority stated.
Last weekend, its crews had been clearing about 1,500 tonnes of waste a day, with 100 to 120 refuse collection vehicles out every day.
On Thursday, the council said all of its available waste wagons had been deployed from its three depots in the morning.
Frances Jones, 72, said her recycling had not been collected since January
Residents continued to suffer from mounting piles of uncollected rubbish, including 72-year-old Frances Jones from Sparkbrook, whose recycling has not been collected since January.
She told BBC Radio WM her front room was filled with bags of flattened cardboard boxes, empty milk cartons and used metal tins.
"At the moment it's mainly in the front room, or in the back. It's not nice. It's just very frustrating and worrying not knowing how long it will go on," she said.
Mrs Jones does not own a car, meaning she is unable to take her recycling to the tip herself, describing it as a "flawed system".
"I feel resentful, this has been going on for a long time, that people without cars have been paying for a service we don't get, we haven't got access effectively," she said.
The council told the BBC that kerbside recycling is suspended but they would take small amounts of neatly bundled side waste.
Follow BBC Birmingham on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.Follow BBC Birmingham on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.