'We'll call in the army to clear the rubbish from city'

The threat came after the unions warned they are considering a walk-out in August – a key tourism month – which would see rubbish piling up on the streets,

It was made during a heated meeting between council chiefs and union leaders which failed to resolve the on-going dispute.

The binmen are working to rule – which is resulting in bins remaining unemptied for days across the city – in protest at proposals to cut their pay.

They say the council's modernisation plans could see them lose thousands from their salaries.

The council today distanced itself from the idea of calling in the military, saying hit had "no plans" to do so.

The threat was made by a senior council official during face-to-face talks on Friday, if the unions pressed ahead with a strike aimed at causing maximum disruption during the Festivals.

The move came after binmen accused one of the council's directors of "pouring petrol on the flames" after writing to workers appealing for calm.

Mark Turley, who receives a six-figure salary as director of the services for communities department, said he was making a "plea for calmness" in "very difficult circumstances."

Binmen face seeing their pay packets hit under plans to change the current council system, in which their wages are supplemented with payments for attendance and productivity.

It is understood the move could see refuse collectors on a basic wage of around 230 a week lose around half of the extra 120 they receive in bonuses, totalling around 3,000 a year. School janitors, gardeners and road workers could also be affected.

One binman, who asked not to be named, said: "They told us if we don't get back to work they would bring in the army to clear the streets. I think they're panicking with the Festival coming up.

"We told them we're going to try and target the Festival to hit them as hard as possible. I just couldn't live on what they're proposing."

He said council bosses had used Friday's meeting to tell them to focus on keeping the city centre clean at the expense of outlying housing schemes.

The council said around 80 per cent of its staff would not lose out under its proposals, which are part of moves to simplify public sector pay structures across the country, with around a fifth of those gaining from the proposals.

Andrea McHugh, head of environment at the city council, said:

"Every effort is being made to ensure that all refuse still awaiting collection is picked up as soon as possible."

A council spokesman added: "We have no plans to request the involvement of the army to assist in delivery of services."

An army spokesman said soldiers would only be drafted in to help with rubbish collections in "exceptional" circumstances, adding they had not been approached by the council.