'The Rubbish Is Alive' - Rats Feast As Birmingham Bin Workers Strike

[naomi24]

//It's because refuse collectors have been striking on and off since January - and it shows.

Many streets are littered with the contents of the bins, with rubbish strewn everywhere as animals have clawed their way into them.

Rat infestations have been reported in parts of the city as the rodents have enjoyed feasting on the fallout of the row, which is over plans to downgrade some staff and reduce their pay.

On Tuesday an indefinite all-out strike gets under way, prompting fears over the scale of the vermin plaguing some areas.

The council said it had made a "fair and reasonable" offer to the union Unite//

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c07zd4z2x2yo 

 

And as the weather gets warmer, maggots and flies will be joining the rats.  I would be incinerating my household waste.  

 

 

[mushroom25]

the spurious link addition strikes again....... 😫

apparently, a restructuring of the department has resulted in a number of grade 1 collection staff being "displaced". all were offered the opportunity to upgrade to "driver", but 17 declined. however since insufficient grade 1 posts now exist, these 17 would instead be downgraded to grade 2 collectors with a consequent loss of salary, estimated to be either £2k or £8k per year, depending on who you talk to.

seems like bloody mindedness on both sides.

[naomi24]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c07zd4z2x2yo

 

Don't know what happened there.  

[gingejbee]

Most people won't have the facilities to incinerate their own waste and unless the vast majority do it, it will make no difference to the situation.

[david small]

Sack the lot. Get the army out rather than face massive disease. Get some of those hotel lounger illegals to do the clearance. This country is run by idiotic self serving fools.

[DDIL]

@davidsmall would you accept a paycut?

[naomi24]

//Most people won't have the facilities to incinerate their own waste //

 

Anyone who has a garden can do it.  Dustbin type incinerators are cheap to buy.

[Clone]

Has it made a difference?

[naomi24]

Has what made a difference, clone?

[jackthehat]

The Squeaky Blinders are taking over Brum....

Of course this is the sort of thing that happens as soon as we get a Labour government - always beholden to their Union paymasters.

There'll be oodles more walk-outs, downing-of-tools and strikes before we have the opportunity to vote-in a different set of overlords.

 

[gingejbee]

@9.24...We're talking about Birmingham here...just what proportion of inhabitants have gardens I wonder? And what about tower blocks?

[naomi24]

09:37, I said I would do it.

[albaqwerty]

"The council said it had made a "fair and reasonable" offer"

In whose eyes, though?

If you want to cut my wages, you'll be expecting me to cut my hours accordingly then, councillors?  No? Well then....

[nicebloke1]

Plenty of people looking for jobs, and this one takes 10mins to learn. Sack them. :0)

[gingejbee]

@9.43...yes, you'd do it - and I said it woudn't make any difference to the situation.

[naomi24]

It would make a difference to my situation.

[gingejbee]

How, exactly?

[naomi24]

gingejbee, my rubbish would be dealt with.  

[Peter Pedant]

ugh - rats - covid I photographed two having fun and sent them to my councillor. 

not having them ( rat control) is like having  clean water or bogs that flush - a  basic human  right ( er xc in Gaza of course where anything goes). Hey does anyone look at a donkey and cart in the mud in Gaza and think - o god that donkey  is not  wading froo mud......

[dave50]

Burn rubbish in your garden? You'll have eco lunatics from climate change department of the local council on you like ton of bricks issuing fines.

 

[chelle7272]

Our local council do not allow you to burn household waste in your garden. Hopefully Birmingham's do!