BIRMINGHAM City Council is placing bin strikers at risk of homelessness by refusing to put an offer forward to end the long-running dispute, workers said today. 

Billy Jordan, 42, and John Collins, 55, said that their all-out strike over council plans involving up to £10,000 in pay cuts is ”nowhere near ending” as government commissioners and the city council leader John Cotton continue to refuse to join negotiations, leaving striking colleagues fearing for their mortgages.

The Unite members spoke to the Morning Star after driving straight from a picket line at a Birmingham depot to address the Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union’s annual conference in Brighton on Wednesday.

They explained that progress on their strike, now over two months long, was lost after the council announced further downgrades to their roles, bringing driver pay to that of a waste recycling and collection officer while scrapping the latter role.

While spirits are high after more than 100 attended the picket on Wednesday, Mr Jordan said neighbouring local authorities in Coventry and Lichfield are sending crews to Birmingham under ”partnership working” agreements he said would eventually result in a costly legal bill for illegal strike-breaking.

That morning, Unite general secretary Sharon Graham accused government commissioners — brought in by the Tories after the council declared effective bankruptcy — and the council leader of blocking a council offer.

Asked how he could see the dispute ending, Mr Jordan said: ”Hopefully with an offer from the council, to give members a choice.”

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government said it is legally required to charge interest on the council’s debt ”at a rate that protects taxpayers by making sure the government is not lending at a loss.”