Overview

• Birmingham City Council reports progress in clearing 22,000 tonnes of uncollected waste, with plans to restore weekly household collections by the weekend.
• The strike, which began on March 11, stems from the planned elimination of the waste recycling collection officer role and associated wage reductions.
• Union Unite overwhelmingly rejected the council's latest pay protection offer, citing concerns over significant wage cuts for affected workers.
• Public health concerns have escalated due to overflowing rubbish, sightings of large rats, and the strain on waste management services.
• Mayor Richard Parker attributes the crisis to systemic funding cuts and warns against framing it as a localized governance failure.