BIN WORKERS crushed council bosses’ recycled austerity plans yesterday after almost seven weeks of strike action.

Rubbish has piled up on the streets of Birmingham since refuse collectors began escalating industrial action on June 30. Workers had kicked up a stink after the city council said it would remove safety supervisors from the back of dust carts.

But now the council has backed down, agreeing to maintain the higher-grade jobs. In exchange, general union Unite, which represents the workers, will consider recommending a move from a four-day to a five-day week.