Talks could be imminent to end the South Gloucestershire bin strikes after union reps revealed there had been a “breakthrough”. But opposition councillors have accused the local authority’s leaders of “misleading” residents and giving them false hope after they said Suez, which runs waste and recycling services for the council, is set to go back to the negotiating table.
About 150 members of Unite the union are taking industrial action throughout the summer until September 3 after rejecting the employer’s offer of an eight per cent pay rise. Only black bin kerbside collections are being made and South Gloucestershire Council has added extra locations for householders to leave food and recycling waste.
Opposition Conservatives have accused the new Lib-Lab administration of creating an “environmental and public health crisis” after pictures emerged of piles of rubbish left at overwhelmed “bring banks”. But Unite regional officer Ken Fish said talks could resume soon in a bid to end the deadlock.
