Birmingham's bin workers vote against deal to end strike

Refuse workers yesterday rejected a deal to end a strike in Birmingham that has caused an invasion of rats.

- Jessica Murray

Negotiations between the city council and Unite, which represents the workers, have been stalled for months. An indefinite strike began on 11 March.

Yesterday, workers were balloted on a "partial deal on pay protection for a few", according to Sharon Graham, Unite's general secretary.

The union said members voted overwhelmingly against a "totally inadequate" offer that still included substantial pay cuts.

Graham said: "The rejection of the offer is no surprise as these workers simply cannot afford to take pay cuts of this magnitude to pay the price for bad decision after bad decision."

She called on the government to bring stakeholders together to end the strike as well as "urgently consider Unite's proposal for debt restructure at Birmingham city council and other local authorities".