Judge’s fury over bins strike chaos

A HIGH Court judge hit out at union leaders and Labour councillors yesterday over a rat-infested rubbish mountain blighting the streets of Birmingham.

Mr Justice Fraser criticised both Unite and Birmingham City Council’s controlling party over a three-month bin strike.

He blasted the “extraordinary” city hall chaos after ruling that its plans to make 100 binmen redundant should be shelved pending a full court hearing of the issues.

Services union Unite agreed to suspend industrial action until after the November hearing.

But one community leader said it would take days to clear away the piles of black bin bags and the smell, rats, maggots and stench which go with it.

Stench

Granting Unite an injunction to suspend the redundancy plans, Mr Justice Fraser said: “Neither party emerged from this remarkable saga with any credit.

“There is a schism within the council. Officers and the executive not working together – positively working against one another in some respects.”

Desmond Jaddoo, a community leader in the city, said: “We need some kind of agreement in place to bring an end to the misery of the rats, crows and stench all over our city.

“The sad part is that it is costing the city thousands of pounds. We could end up bankrupt over this.

“The only comfort for residents is that the binmen have gone back to work, but there is so much rubbish about I can’t see it clearing in a few days.”

“The people of Birmingham want leadership and want them to sit down to resolve these issues.

“They don’t want a public health hazard.”