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The Birmingham bin strike is back on - and it is set to rumble into 2018.

That is the chilling warning from unions after Birmingham City Council announced it was issuing redundancy notices to dustmen last night.

The strike - which left the streets of the city covered in black bags and maggots for much of the summer - resumed at 7.30am this morning.

It had been suspended - but that has now been lifted - and the Unite union said it will now reballot workers and said the industrial action was set to go into NEXT YEAR.

Unite assistant general secretary Howard Beckett described the council's actions as "deeply provocative".

Immediately, binmen are now walking out three times a day - 7am, 10.30am and 1pm.

Unite said it would re-ballot its members meaning industrial action could extend until the New Year.

Mr Beckett said: “This is a deeply provocative act that drives a coach and horses through the agreement Unite reached with the council in good faith at the conciliation service Acas.

(Image: Birmingham Mail)

“It does a great disservice to the people of Birmingham and the city’s refuse workers who now face being made redundant and losing their livelihoods or pay cuts of thousands of pounds.

“The last thing refuse workers want to do is resume industrial action and see piles of rubbish accumulating on Birmingham’s streets. This is their city too. Our members want to focus on delivering a safe efficient service to people of Birmingham.

“Sadly it seems the council does not want to see that happen. Instead of embracing an agreement that would have seen compromise on all sides, the council seems content to put people on the dole and cut their wages by up to £5,000.

“Unite calls on the council to come to its senses and withdraw these redundancy notices to avoid the disruption of industrial action.”

The council last night issued redundancy notices to the "Grade 3 Leading Hands" in its refuse service.

(Image: Birmingham Mail)

In a statement, the authority said it wished to "continue its ongoing discussions with trades unions through ACAS" and find new jobs for the affected staff.

Cllr John Clancy, Leader of Birmingham City Council, said: “The new waste collection system we are introducing will provide a better, more efficient service for citizens and will enable the service to be run within budget.

“We will be creating more than 200 new refuse collection jobs for loaders. These will be full-time, offering a range of benefits, including pension entitlement and sick pay and will replace expensive agency contracts which do not include these benefits.”

Cllr Lisa Trickett, Cabinet Member for Clean Streets, Recycling and Environment, added: “None of the Grade 3 leading hands who are being made redundant need to lose their jobs with the council.

"Alternative Grade 3 posts, at the same salary in other parts of the council, are available for all those affected leading hands. No one needs to suffer a cut in their basic pay."

Desmond Jaddoo said via Twitter also commented on the situation: "This will only lead to a greater public health hazard with vermin".