Birmingham binmen try to deliver petition - but council locks them out Striking bin workers were shocked after they were prevented from delivering a petition to council chiefs Striking binmen were locked out of the council house today as they tried to deliver a petition. Around 100 workers had met in Victoria Square for a rally calling for an end to "cuts on pay" and to resolve Birmingham's all-out bin strike, which has entered a sixth week. ‌ Article continues below But they were locked out and prevented from entering Birmingham Council House to deliver their message. READ MORE: Boy rushed to hospital after attack in Birmingham park - full ambulance statement The petition, calling on council leader John Cotton to 'listen to workers', was instead left in a box at the top of stairs outside the historic building after its front doors were shut in workers' faces. ‌ A box carrying the petition was left outside Birmingham Council House after the authority closed the door on striking binmen (Image: BirminghamLive/Harry Leach ) Striking binman David Callaghan, 57, told BirminghamLive: "It's unfortunate we can't hand it in peacefully. "There's been no trouble, even on the picket lines, there's been no trouble whatsoever." ‌ Asked why he thought the council would want to shut the doors, the Grade 4 driver added: "Your guess is as good as mine. It would be interesting to get their point of view." We have contacted Birmingham City Council for comment. Mr Callaghan, who has been with the service for 35 years, said he and his colleagues were feeling "really strong" following their decision yesterday to reject the council's latest pay offer. ‌ The council, describing the offer as 'fair and reasonable', had "dangled" one-off 'compensation' payments of between £7,000 and £16,000 to workers in an attempt to end the all-out strike. The exact amount paid out to each worker would have depended on their length of service. Mr Callaghan claimed: "It's a lot of money dangling now, as a carrot, but your average 30-year-olds are [still] going to lose £8,000 a year. It's a rubbish offer. ‌ "We're just hoping they listen. They're not taking us seriously." Agreeing, binman Steeven Biset, known as 'Frenchie' to his colleagues, said the offer was "disgraceful". He added: "The morale has not changed. Article continues below "The way I see it, we're dominoes. If we fall, the rest will fall. "We've got to show the people they need to fight for their rights and their basic needs." Unite, the union representing the striking workers, is expected to resume talks with council chiefs on finding a resolution to the dispute tomorrow.