Leeds City Council and trade unions are squaring up for a fight which could lead to a bin strike and the city’s refuse collection taken over by the private sector.
The council has called for improved productivity, absenteeism dramatically reduced from 30 days a year per employee, and a change in shift patterns. It claimed the changes would save £1.7M, and threatened to put the refuse collection service out to tender if it did not win the support of unions.
But the unions said they would only look at changing working patterns once the council had agreed to return the binmen to the wages they were on before last year’s pay and grading review, which the unions claimed had cost some men as much as £6,000.
The council said a final decision on the future of the refuse collection service would be taken by the executive board on Wednesday.
If officers’ recommendations are agreed, and the unions have not moved their position, the tendering process will begin.
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