BIRMINGHAM Council’s declaration of a major incident over waste collection is about making the lowest paid pay for politicians’ mistakes, Unite has warned.

With refuse workers on the picket lines over pay cuts, the city council announced on Monday that it had a contingency plan to collect waste from properties across the city once a week using agency workers.

Council leader Cllr John Cotton said it was “regrettable that we have had to take this step, but we cannot tolerate a situation that is causing harm and distress to communities across Birmingham.

“I respect the right to strike and protest, however actions on the picket line must be lawful and sadly the behaviour of some now means we are seeing a significant impact on residents and the city’s environment,” he said.

Mr Cotton also claimed that the council “made a fair and reasonable offer to our workers which means none of them have to lose any money and I would urge Unite to reconsider their position.”

But Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said the council could “easily resolve this dispute but instead it seems hell-bent on imposing its plan of demotions and pay cuts at all costs.”

“If that involves spending far more than it would cost to resolve the strike fairly, they don’t seem to care,” she said.

“We can only conclude that this massive pay cut for hundreds of refuse workers is only the start and this is really about stamping out any future opposition to its plans to unleash austerity 2.0 on Birmingham.

“I urge Birmingham Council to rethink this disastrous strategy and to find a way forward that doesn’t involve workers and communities having to pay for politicians’ mistakes.”

Ms Graham added that Unite will “never accept attacks on our members and we will continue to defend Birmingham’s refuse workforce to the hilt.”

Unite national lead officer Onay Kasab said that the government is being misled by the council and the commissioners over the true nature of the dispute.

“Unite has repeatedly said it is ready and willing to undertake intensive negotiations to end the strikes,” he said.

“But that requires the council engaging in good faith on an acceptable deal and ending its vicious and vindictive campaign against its refuse workers.”