The embattled bin collection service in Birmingham could grind to a complete halt when unions step up their strike action on Friday, it has been claimed.

Bags and overstuffed wheelie bins have been piling up on the streets since the city’s binmen began industrial action on June 30.

This included strike action initially of two hours and later three hours a day.

Since July 28 they have been on strike from the start of shift from 6am-8am and at lunchtime between 12.30pm and 1.30pm.

But from Friday, August 11 they will stagger the three hours walkout throughout the day - with one-hour strikes at 7am, 10.30am and 1.30pm.

Council bosses believe this will effectively mean that very few bins will be emptied.

This is because the industrial action is accompanied by a work-to-rule meaning bin crews have to return to their depot for tea and lunch breaks which fall between the strike times at around 9am and 12.30pm.

They work a nine hour shift from 6am to 3.30pm.

Bin men on picket at Lifford Lane

A bin service management source said: “The crews will barely be on duty for an hour at a time which gives little time to get to their collection point and get back to base before the next (period of) strike action or break.

“Given the traffic situation in the city we fear they will spend most of the time just driving and nothing will be collected.”

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The Unite Union was asked to comment on the changes to the industrial action.

A spokesman said: “Discussions with council bosses have been open and honest and we hope we can make progress.

“However, it is unacceptable that workers face a regrade and pay cut of between £3,500 and £5,000 to keep their job in waste services.

“They are low paid, have mortgages or rent to pay and families to feed.

Pickets at Redfern Road depot in Tyseley

“We regret that the people of Birmingham are suffering from the lack of collections but would ask them to step into the shoes of our members who have taken strike action as a last resort and at financial loss to themselves in order to protect their already low wages.

“We urge the council to work with Unite to resolve this dispute before it escalates further.”