While the strike of waste collection workers continues in Birmingham, planning experts from the army have been requested to help deal with the garbage piles on the streets.

The waste and rat crisis caused by the ongoing strike in waste collection services in the UK since March 11 continues. The rats feeding on decaying garbage piles during the strike have brought public health crisis warnings, prompting the army’s planning experts to be called in to deal with the mounting garbage on the streets. According to The Independent, as the dispute over salaries led to the strike initiated by cleaning workers, the UK government found the solution to tackle the crisis by involving military planners. In this context, these planners are expected to provide temporary logistic support to the municipality.

EXPERT ARMY PERSONNEL TO PROVIDE SUPPORT
A spokesperson from the UK government stated in a release, “The government is already in place to support the municipality in logistics matters; the field intervention is also progressing quickly to address public health risks.” Referring to the ongoing public health risk, the spokesperson announced that military personnel with planning expertise would support the Birmingham City Council to address these risks efficiently.

Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner, in a call made to the Unite union last week, urged them to accept the “improved” contract. Health Minister Wes Streeting defended that the strike had “spun out of control.” These developments also led to a strain in the relationship between the Labour Party government and the union.

UNION OBJECTED TO MUNICIPAL CUTS
Following the announcement that the Birmingham City Council had effectively gone bankrupt in 2023 and had to make cuts in local spending, the union representing the workers, Unite, stated that this move had prevented workers from receiving a wage increase, downgraded some staff positions, resulting in cuts of up to £8,000 in annual salaries in the worst-case scenario. The municipality, on the other hand, claimed to have offered a fair deal and accused the striking workers of preventing garbage trucks from leaving the depots.