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Bin men could strike if collection privatised
UNIONS leaders today warned bin workers in Leeds could take industrial action after council bosses said they would consider privatising the service to cut costs.
The council wants to make sweeping changes to the service and has drawn up plans it says will improve productivity, tackle chronic absenteeism, end inefficient shift patterns and save about 1.7m a year.
In a statement released today, Leeds City Council said it was considering asking private firms to tender after pay talks with the unions reached stalemate.
But in a joint statement tonight the three public service unions, Unison, GMB and Unite, said the council was proposing cutting some of its members pay by 6,000 and said a mass meeting will be held on Thursday where members would discuss whather to ballot for strike action.
The authority had claimed it could not avoid the need to modernise services and said a report would be discussed by the council's executive board meeting on July 22.
It could then start the tendering process but has said it will leave the door open for fresh discussion with the unions.
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Weather for Yorkshire
Saturday 11 February 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: -2 C to 0 C
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