Everything you need to know about the stand-off between the council and binmen

Published on Monday 20 July 2009 10:37

What caused the dispute? In three words, the Sexual Discrimination Act, or, more accurately, the way the council has tried to address the implications of the Act.

After the local authority was forced to pay compensation to low-paid women cleaners (sparking counter claims from their male colleagues), it was clear something radical had to be done to prevent an avalanche of claims. All of Scotland's 32 councils have found themselves in the same boat.

This has forced the council to scrap bonuses traditionally paid only to men.

What do the binmen stand to lose? Bonuses worth around 7,000 a year, although the council says they will be able to make up the lost money if they agree to changes to their working conditions. Basic pay for binmen is 12,234 with a further 6,729 coming for bonuses paid for productivity and attendance.

What extra duties does the council want the binmen to take on? In order to qualify for the council's proposed top-up payments, the binmen will have to help with jobs like removing graffiti and flyposters, clearing council houses and grass cutting and hedge trimming. This would be done once binmen finished their rounds rather than them being allowed to leave early as currently happens. They would also have to take on "first line enforcement duties", spotting offences such as littering and dishing out verbal and written warnings.

This new "neighbourhood worker" role would earn a basic wage of between 14,183 and 15,986.

Crucially, there would be a further payment of 4,573 for agreeing to work shifts, including night shifts in the city centre, taking total take-home pay to 18,756 - 20,559.

Why is the council so determined to stick to its plans? It is legally bound to make pay fair between the sexes and says it cannot afford to raise everyone's pay to match the higher earners. The union wants bonuses consolidated into basic pay and other workers brought up to the same level, but the council says that would cost 60 million and 2,000 jobs.

Why are the unions so determined? The binmen feel they are being punished for something that is not their fault. They don't see why they should take on extra work and antisocial shifts to maintain similar pay.

Why are other workers getting involved? The binmen are not the only ones facing losing their traditional bonuses. Hundreds of mostly male employees working in roles such as road maintenance, gravedigging and gardening are also affected. Unite, the union leading the dispute, also represents them and is balloting all manual workers employed by the council's Services for Communities department on plans for strike action.

If the binmen aren't on strike why is rubbish piling up in the streets? Binmen are working to rule, effectively a go-slow protest, which means domestic bin collections, particularly in outlying parts of the city, are around two weeks late.

What happens next? Union leaders will begin balloting for strike action on Thursday and the vote is expected to take around two weeks. All indications are that workers will vote in favour of taking some form of industrial action. The timing of the dispute means any potential strike action could take place during the Festival.

What will it take to resolve the dispute? With the council complaining the union is refusing to talk, it looks as if we could be in for a lengthy stand-off, which will leave taxpayers to suffer.