Bin dispute flares up as workers plan more strikes

Published on Thursday 28 April 2011 17:59

A NEW flare-up has emerged in the Capital's long-running bin dispute, with new protests planned by refuse collectors.

&#149 Bin men want the council to negotiate

Bin collections have fallen well behind schedule in recent weeks in some parts of the city, leading to overflowing bins.

Council officials initially said the problem had nothing to do with the ongoing work-to-rule by the city's binmen, which has been continuing for nearly two years.

Council leader Jenny Dawe has now admitted the "action, or inaction" of some of those involved in the dispute is partially to blame for the problem.

The Evening News understands that unofficial pickets are also set to take place at the gates of the Russell Road and Baileyfield depots tomorrow morning in protest at the failure of the council to negotiate over new conditions.

There is also said to be anger among staff that they were forced to work today, while most of the council workers who are based in offices get the day off to celebrate the royal wedding.

Councillor Dawe admitted there had been "some recent disruption" to refuse collections and said administration councillors had called an urgent meeting with Mark Turley, director of services for communities, to discuss these.

Some of the problems relate to new routes introduced to integrate trade waste and domestic waste services.

She added: "There is also some renewed action, or inaction, by some staff. The director has taken immediate steps to address this and is optimistic that things will be back to normal by the weekend, or certainly early next week."

Council officials say that integrating trade waste and domestic waste collections, rather than having two separate bin lorries collecting from the same street, will save more than 1 million a year.

Mr Turley said: "It has taken some crews a bit of time to get used to changes thrown up by the new routes, which has slowed down the service temporarily. We apologise that a small number of people have had their service temporarily disrupted and are confident we have measures in place to ensure all refuse is collected and would ask residents to leave their bins out."

Trade union leaders admitted that there is growing frustration among bin men about their working conditions.

Stephen MacGregor, convener of the Unite union, said: "The members within refuse have been in dispute for some time now and there has been no improved offer, so obviously they are frustrated."

He said that many were unhappy about being told they could not take the day off for the royal wedding.

A council spokeswoman said: "Staff will receive an additional one-day holiday added to their annual leave entitlement."