Frustrated residents call for Birmingham councillors to resignation amid bins strike chaos

Along with the huge heaps of rubbish outside homes, anger is mounting across Birmingham as the strike, which started in January, continues to grip the city.

The scenes follow a dispute between the Labour-run council and Unite the union over the scrapping of a job role.

As a result, Brummies have been forced to live among rubbish bags piled several feet high and overflowing bins amid reports of rats roaming the streets.

There was a fresh wave of frustration this week when the council’s bins supremo denied the city’s reputation had taken a pounding because of the strike chaos – despite the situation attracting unwanted headlines from as far afield as Australia.

“I don’t think the reputation of Birmingham has taken a hit,” Councillor Majid Mahmood, cabinet member for environment, said during an interview. “Yes, we’ve got industrial action and we’re dealing with it.

“My ask of Unite is come to the table, talk to us and let’s work together to resolve this for the betterment of the people of the city and bring Birmingham to the reputation we want which is the cleanest, safest and greenest city in the country.”

The remark was met with calls to resign, disbelief and anger among readers.

“Disgraceful comment,” one reader wrote. “Should resign immediately.”

A second said: “Get a petition signed and get him out. Birmingham is a mess.”

“Mr Mahmood is clearly on another planet then as another planet is the only place that’s not heard about our bin strike debacle!” another reader said. “He says they are dealing with it, it’s clearly just a stand off with neither side budging.”

“Living in cloud cuckoo land – of course it’s damaged Birmingham’s reputation!” one remarked.

“Apparently we are now called Squeaky Blinders because of the rats!” a resident added. “No damage to our reputation?!!”

“Does anyone really believe these comments?” a reader also wrote in response. “The former great city of Birmingham is now a laughing stock and it isn’t down to the general public.

“Wake up Councillor.”

Others called for more members of the political leadership at the council to step down.

“This Labour-led council is a clear failure – they all need to resign,” one reader argued.

Referring to Councillor Mahmood and Councillor John Cotton, leader of the council, a second wrote: “If they had any decency [they] should both step aside.

“We need proper accountability.”

“Can we move for a vote of no confidence for this person and this rubbish council,” a third said. “The people have had enough.”

‘Proud Brummie’

During his interview, Councillor Mahmood told the Local Democracy Reporting Service he was a “proud Brummie”, adding: “We will do everything we can to improve and better the service we provide to citizens.

“That’s why I was brought in by the leader to turn round what was and continues to be a service that doesn’t meet expectations of residents.

“That’s why we’ve invested tens of millions of pounds into the service.”

He said the council had expanded the opening hours at household recycling centres; extended the number of Mobile Household Waste Centres and directed street cleaning crews to neighbourhoods badly-hit by fly-tipping.

Unite organised the Birmingham bins strike because of the council’s plans to scrap the Waste Recycling and Collection Officer role, which the union described as “safety-critical”.

“The council could end this dispute tomorrow by agreeing to pay a decent rate of pay,” Unite national lead officer Onay Kasab has said.

“The council is forcing dedicated workers onto pay levels barely above the minimum wage while undertaking a difficult and highly demanding job in all weathers.”

Addressing the dispute with Unite, Coun Mahmood said this week the council had made a “fair and reasonable offer”.

“Not a single worker needs to lose a penny,” he said. “Every worker has been offered the same grade and the same pay within the street scene division of the city council.

“We’re here because we are trying to transform and modernise the service.”

The council previously added that its routes and working practices are fully risk-assessed and that health and safety is “everyone’s responsibility”.