In most English neighbourhoods, the arrival of a bin lorry is nothing remarkable. But in Birmingham, the UK’s second-largest city, its appearance has residents rushing into the streets, desperate to dispose of mounting piles of waste.
A refuse workers’ strike that intensified last month has left an estimated 17,000 tonnes of garbage accumulating across the city. With bin bags festering under the spring sun and rodents, foxes, and stray animals scavenging through the waste, many locals believe the situation has become unbearable.
After four weeks, Birmingham City Council has declared a “major incident,” while Prime Minister Keir Starmer has faced criticism in Parliament over the government’s handling of the crisis. However, residents say the problem worsens each day.
“There was a bin fire at the end of our street the other night,” said Abel Mihai, a 23-year-old from Saltley, where piles of decaying rubbish have attracted vermin, worms, and maggots. He fears the conditions are affecting his three-year-old son’s health.
“Every time he goes out the back, he vomits from the smell,” Mihai said. His eight-year-old daughter, Vanessa, added, “We need to do something about it. It’s not good.”
The strike stems from a dispute between the cash-strapped city council and refuse workers represented by the Unite union. The union claims some staff could see their salaries slashed by as much as £8,000 ($10,400) annually due to restructuring plans.
The issue is also tied to broader concerns about local council funding and economic inequality. Residents in poorer districts argue they have been neglected and question whether the crisis would have reached such extremes in wealthier areas of the country.
City Councillor Mohammed Idrees voiced concerns over Birmingham’s reputation, warning that the crisis is “creating a very bad image throughout the world.”
The council insists it has made a “fair and reasonable offer” to workers, but refuse collectors remain dissatisfied. At a union picket line outside a waste depot, workers described feeling insulted by the proposed changes.
Wayne Bishop, a 59-year-old bin lorry driver and union member, said he would lose his current position under the restructuring and face a £600 monthly pay cut. He stressed the demanding nature of the job and the need for fair compensation.
“We work in all weather conditions. We were out during Covid. We just can’t afford to take this hit with the cost of living rising,” he said.
The industrial action, which began in January, escalated into a full-scale strike on March 11.
The crisis has turned into a political headache for Prime Minister Starmer.
Confronted in Parliament on Wednesday, he acknowledged that the situation in Birmingham was “completely unacceptable” but defended the Labour-run council, assuring that extra support would be provided.
Meanwhile, some residents have taken matters into their own hands. In Saltley, a community centre arranged a special waste collection after seeking help from a local councillor.
Volunteers helped hundreds of residents transport their rubbish to a temporary collection site, where non-striking workers loaded it onto trucks.
