Birmingham bin strike to continue after talks end without resolution

Union says Labour-run council could end industrial action with decent rate of pay', but town hall says offer is fair

Talks aimed at ending a strike by waste collectors in Birmingham have ended without a breakthrough.

Members of the Unite union in the city launched an all-out strike on 11 March in a long-running dispute over pay, leading to rubbish piling up and bins remaining unemptied for weeks. Residents have complained that rats are rummaging through the waste, leading to fears over public health.

Last Tuesday, nearly 400 council bin workers in the city began indefinite strike action. United said the Labour-run city council could end the dispute by agreeing to pay a decent rate of pay". Union officials met council officers on Thursday, but the strike continues.