Huge towers of rubbish have started to gather in communities around Birmingham as council refuse workers continue to strike.

Residents have complained that one mountain of waste has been festering for SIX WEEKS outside their homes.

More than 350 refuse workers began industrial action in January over the scrapping of the safety critical Waste Recycling and Collection Officer (WRCO) role, resulting in pay cuts of up to £8,000 for 150 workers.

A resident who did not want to be named from West Mill Croft in the Hawkesley area of Birmingham spoke about the mountain of festering rubbish outside her home: ‘It’s been here for 6 weeks, I don’t know where the bags come from, I think everybody just comes and chucks them.’

Recycling wheelie bins had been collected from the area but general waste bins were overflowing, meaning residents piled the bags high in one corner.

The homeowner continued: ‘The bags have been opened by rats or something, I try to tidy up the papers blown around, there’s nappies too, I put them in the bag and tie it up again but the next day its the same thing.

‘I have children and the smell when I go past is not nice.

‘I fear for their health as we go past in the morning to go to school and we shouldn’t have to live with this.’

The pile of rubbish on West Mill Croft is 6 bags deep and spills out onto the pavement and gardens.

In another area on Aspley Croft in the Walker’s Heath area of the city, bin bags are also piled along a path, restricting access for the disabled or people with prams.

Closer to the city centre, large green bins overflow at the top of Dawlish Road in the Selly Oak area of Birmingham. Bin bags are stuffed into the metal containers and left along the roadside.

And in Edgbaston, not too far from Edgbaston Cricket Stadium, a refuse point is inaccessible due to hordes of waste piled so high, it has stopped access to the collection point on Hollies Croft and spilled out onto the surrounding streets.

Bin bags have been ripped open by animals and the wind has spread lighter discarded items further out.

Defending the refuse workers, Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: ‘It is appalling that while Birmingham council inflicts huge and unjustified pay cuts on its refuse workers, councillors hand themselves a hefty pay rise. You couldn’t make it up.

‘The council’s actions have only strengthened our members’ resolve to stop the brutal attacks on their wages. Birmingham’s bin workers did not create the council’s financial crisis and they should not have to pay for it.’

Last week, Birmingham council voted to increase councillor allowances by 5.7 per cent, more than double the current CPI inflation rate of 2.5 per cent.

Unite lead national officer Onay Kasab said: ‘Birmingham’s refuse workers won’t be scapegoats for a mess made by politicians. Our members know axing the WRCO role is just the beginning—paving the way for more assaults on pay, conditions, and job security.’

ENDS