Bin bags piled up high, rats and cockroaches – these are the scenes in Birmingham over recent weeks.
Bin collectors have been striking on and off since January but today marks the start of an indefinite walkout for nearly 400 council bin workers which could last until summer.
The most common sight for residents across the city is streets lined with uncollected bins – ravaged and torn apart by hungry pests.
The endless continuation of the strike has led to fears in the city that the problem is only going to get worse.
The strike has been called over council plans to downgrade some staff positions and reduce their pay.
Locals told Metro that they don’t want to take their bins out because they are overflowing.
Michael Hunt lives in central Birmingham and said: ‘I won’t be putting out any of my bins until the bins are all emptied.
‘I’ve been told by the bins will be emptied today by a private contractor.
‘A smell is going to develop if they are left here any longer. It will probably get worse as tenants will be leaving their rubbish by the side of the bins.
‘Thankfully I’m not aware of any rats yet.’
Somebody who is aware of rats infiltrating gardens and homes is William Timms, 47, owner of WJ Pest Solutions.
He’s noticed a 75% increase in callouts and told Metro: ‘The problem is only going to get worse.
‘I have seen rats in front gardens, back gardens, sheds, also in homes, hidden inside lofts and kitchens because of the strike.
‘It’s not just rats, there are cockroaches too.
‘Lots of areas around Birmingham have been impacted but one of the worst is Erdington.
‘No one knows when this is going to end and I do feel sorry for everybody impacted.
‘It is good for business but of course this needs to end soon.’
Onay Kasab, national lead officer for Unite, said 70 staff could lose up to £8,000 in pay over the year because of the changes.
The union says its members face pay cuts after the scrapping of waste collection and recycling officer roles, despite already voluntarily accepting cuts to pay and terms and conditions after the council declared bankruptcy.
‘The last thing we want to do is strike,’ he told Metro.
‘Many of our members salaries will fall from £31,000 to £23,000 which will many will not be able to pay rent and will lose their homes.
‘We want an agreement with the council of fair pay for all of our workers.’
Birmingham City Council said in a statement: ‘This escalation of industrial action will mean greater disruption to residents – despite the fair and reasonable offer that the council made to Unite the Union.
‘To the small number of workers whose wages are impacted ongoing by the changes to the service (of whom there are now only 40) we have already offered alternatives, including highly valuable LGV Driver Training for career progression and pay, and other roles in the council equivalent to their former roles.
‘No worker will lose the sums Unite are claiming.
‘Residents of Birmingham want and deserve a better waste collection service and the restructure that Unite is opposing is part of the much-needed transformation of the service.
‘Our door is still open, and we would encourage Unite to come back to the table.’
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