Search

Newsletter image

Subscribe to the Newsletter

Join 10k+ people to get notified about new posts, news and tips.

Do not worry we don't spam!

GDPR Compliance

We use cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. By continuing to use our site, you accept our use of cookies, Privacy Policy, and Terms of Service.

Rotting rubbish piles spark Winter of Discontent memories as Bin Strike hits 4th week, heaping misery on a million Brits

Published on April 03, 2025 at 09:29 PM

A FESTERING mountain of rubbish revived memories of the Winter of Discontent yesterday — as a bin strike’s fourth week caused misery for a city’s residents.

Shocking images showed at a temporary collection point in Tyseley, Birmingham.

A large pile of garbage bags at a temporary household waste center in Birmingham, during a bin strike.
A festering mountain of hundreds of black bags piled 6ft high at a temporary collection pointin Tyseley, Birmingham – as the city's bin strike hits a 4th week
Photo of rubbish piling up in London's Leicester Square.
The scenes today in Birmingham are reminiscent of the Winter of Discontent in 1979 – with rubbish piling up like here in London's Leicester Square
Two large rats near trash.
‘Rats the size of cats' have been terrorising locals in Birmingham

Up to 17,000 tons of waste have gone uncollected in the city since more than 350 refuse workers walked out on March 11 over wage cuts.

The Unite union says about 150 members will be £8,000 worse off. On Monday the council — which disputes the figures — and began using waste lorries under a contingency plan.

But bosses warned it will take weeks to clear the streets as the backlog piles up.

Locals have reported seeing swarming through the waste, in scenes reminiscent of the Seventies’ strikes.

Hundreds of thousands of public sector workers — including binmen downed tools all over Britain in protest over their wage rises being capped while inflation soared.

The industrial action began in September 1978, ending only in the following February — after the nation’s coldest winter for 16 years.

Yesterday, after residents were informed of the temporary collection point in a car park, a sea of filth had piled up by 7.30am.

Some people got up before dawn with others forced to bring along 20 black bags in one go.

Tyseley resident Danny Carter, 33, said of the heap: “It just makes you ashamed to be a Brummie right now, to be honest.

“It looks like those giant rubbish mountains they get in places like Mumbai.

“People have just seen the lorries were coming and used it as a chance to fly-tip. People are fed up, but this is disgusting.”;

Meanwhile, 55-year-old agency worker Mohammed blasted contingency plans for being unhygienic.

He noted: “There’s a nursery there for the kids and a community centre there. They should’ve sent security and secured the site.”;

He continued: “I’ve lived here 40 years and I’ve never seen the area this bad. I had about 20 bags in my garden, piled up, smelling up the place.”;

Council environment chief Majid Mahmood said some areas had gone without bin collections for up to seven weeks.

He said it will take between two and four weeks for some 90 contingency trucks to get collections back to normal.

But another three to four weeks will be needed after that for a clean-up.

Pile of garbage bags on a residential street.
Rubbish piled up on Grove Cottage Rd in Bordesley Green in Birmingham
Overfilled dumpsters overflowing with trash bags and cardboard boxes on a city street.
City residents claim they can smell the stench while walking down the street
Large rat running across pavement.
Vermin the size of ‘small cats' were seen scurrying around the streets
Pile of garbage bags and shopping carts overflowing onto a residential street.
Rubbish piles up, blocking pavements and roads
Striking bin men picketing in Birmingham, UK.
Striking bin men picket at the Lifford Lane Depot, Kings Norton
Prev Article

More than 200 passengers left stranded in remote Turkish airport after Virgin jet emergency landing

Next Article

Terrifying moment huge shark bites ‘mermaid’s’ hand filling aquarium tank with blood & leaving her needing 100 stitches

Related to this topic:

Comments (0):

Be the first to write a comment.

Post Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *