- Birmingham's year-long bin strikes are set to conclude following a new pay offer made between the city council and the Unite trade union.
- Council leader John Cotton announced that an end to the dispute is "within sight" after a breakthrough in negotiations over jobs and pay.
- The dispute originated from council plans to remove a waste service role, which Unite claimed would lead to significant pay cuts for its members.
- The prolonged industrial action resulted in rubbish accumulating on Birmingham's streets, prompting public health concerns and reports of increased rodent activity.
- The breakthrough comes just over a week before local council elections, with Unite having previously reduced its affiliation to the Labour Party over the handling of the strike.
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