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Leeds bin strike starts on Monday and could last weeks
A BIN strike will begin in Leeds on Monday - and could go on for "weeks", according to unions - after talks between unions and the council broke down today.
Union pickets will be outside all the main refuse and street cleansing depots across the city from 6am on Monday, the unions said today.
The unions and the council are in dispute about changes to pay structures that will see some bin staff lose up to 6,000 a year.
A spokesman for the GMB union said: "The action will bring disruption not only to suburban streets with rubbish overflowing from thousands of wheelie bins across Leeds but will also mean that the city and town centres will be awash with wrappers and rotting food from the bins outside the fast food takeaways.
"Graffiti will not be removed, dangerous infectious needles will not be picked up and gulleys will not be emptied. Streets will not be swept and the situation will intensify as the indefinite strike action potentially continues for weeks and weeks."
Bill Chard, organiser for the GMB said: "The council leaders have missed a golden opportunity to save the citizens from untold misery and disruption, they have had over 18 months to sort this out and even though we have made ourselves available right up to the very last minute they have failed to seize the moment.
"Just a few weeks ago Richard Brett Leader of Leeds City Council and his fellow councillors from the ruling coalition voted themselves a tidy increase to their expenses but these same people feel no guilt in robbing our members of up to 6,000 per year, it's a disgrace."
Coun Richard Brett, leader of Leeds City Council, said he was disappointed by yhe unions' decision.
He said: "It goes without saying that the decision by the unions to call their members out next week is deeply regrettable.
"I believe strike action serves no purpose other than to cause disruption to the people of Leeds.
"We have been clear in our determination to resolve this dispute by negotiation and we have presented the unions with a possible solution.
"However, for whatever reason they keep walking away from the table after making unrealistic demands of us – including insisting we alter job evaluation scores to the point it would cost the council tax payers of this city many millions of pounds.
"That is an absolute non-starter.
"It is also very misleading for the unions to claim their members will lose as much as 6000 a year.
"The council has agreed to three years of pay protection, so salaries will not be affected for another 18 months.
Coun James Monaghan, executive board member with responsibility for refuse collectionm, said: "Despite our best efforts to resolve this dispute, the unions seem intent on simply causing chaos by calling for this strike action.
"At this time, they have indicated their unwillingness even to make an exception for medical waste collections, therefore putting the city's most vulnerable people at risk.
"The council will do all it can to keep disruption to a minimum, but I ask the people of Leeds to bear with us during this difficult time."
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Weather for Yorkshire
Saturday 26 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 8 C to 21 C
Wind Speed: 17 mph
Wind direction: East
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Sunny
Temperature: 9 C to 22 C
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