'THROWN OUT LIKE ROTTEN FRUIT'

BINS union Unite is pressing for new talks with Birmingham City Council to end the strike that's caused massive disruption as more workers endure hardship and job losses.

- JANE HAYNES

Derek, a commended bin truck driver with 33 years of service, has described being "thrown out like rotten fruit in a supermarket".

He is one of dozens of waste service staff to leave the council this year over cuts to their pay and grading as part of a massive shakeup.

More staff are expected to receive final redundancy notices in the run up to Christmas after the council declared it had no choice.

This week marks eight months since the first day of the all-out strike on March 11. Since then there have been no kerbside collections of recycling or green waste in the city, and flytipping rates have rocketed.

At one point the city was declared a public health emergency zone with piled up rubbish attracting rats, drawing international headlines for the city for the wrong reasons.