Bin strike set after talks fail

next steps would be published on today.

The Kirklees Council director dealing with the dispute, Karl Battersby, accused Unison of shifting the goalposts.

He said: “Senior council officers were scheduled to have a further meeting with ACAS and Unison representatives yesterday afternoon, however Unison walked out of the planned talks.

“We had reached an agreement at previous ACAS talks in May relating to concerns over holidays, workloads, working practices and allegations of harassment and bullying.

“Following their meeting with their members last Friday, where they voted to reinstate the industrial action, we contacted ACAS to invite Unison representatives to get back round the table and work towards resolving whatever issues they believed to be outstanding.

“However, yesterday afternoon Unison made a new, and in our view, unreasonable demand, relating to how the council manages an individual member of staff, as a condition of any further talks going ahead.

“This was completely unacceptable.

“Management practice will always be a matter for the council and its own managers, in line with our policies and procedures, and having regard for our duty of care to all staff.

“Our number one priority remains the delivery of services to our residents and businesses, and over the coming days, we will be putting plans in place to minimise the disruption of Unison’s industrial action.

“We would ask residents and businesses to bear with us, and to keep checking our website and social media channels for the latest updates.”

When the dispute began Unison revealed that some members had more than 30 weeks of holiday – five years’ worth – owed from previous years.

Unrest began with a “wildcat strike” last November after a small number of crews walked off their rounds in the Holme Valley.

Union chiefs have claimed the collections can’t be done in four days, a policy introduced by council chiefs in 2015.