Rugby bin strikes could continue until mid June - council pledges to prioritise black bin collections

The strike, which began on April 26 and was initially intended to last only two weeks, is being held by some of Rugby’s refuse, recycling and street cleansing services workers.

Held by staff who are members of the Unite union, the strike is being held over a pay dispute with national origins.

Earlier this year a payrise of 1.75 per cent, backdated to last April, was arranged between a national body and hundreds of local authorities across the country.

The Unite union said this payrise is not enough, and called on Rugby council to negotiate a bigger increase at a local level.

Rugby council said this would not be possible under the framework of its membership with the national organisation – and Unite members voted for industrial action.

Following

A spokesperson for Rugby council said: “We apologise to our residents for the inconvenience this will cause them.

"We remain committed to constructive dialogue with the union and hope that the dispute, which is about the nationally agreed pay rise, will be resolved soon.

“We will continue to post updates to www.rugby.gov.uk/serviceupdates and residents are asked to check this page regularly for any changes.”

The council added that all garden waste, blue-lid and bulky waste collections will remain suspended until the strike concludes.

Those who have had black bin collections missed since the start of the strike on April 26 will now be prioritised for collections.

Some of the town’s refuse, recycling and street cleansing workers are not members of Unite, and they are continuing to work.

A spokesperson for the council said: “We are grateful to the crews who have chosen to continue working and to redeployed staff who are doing an excellent job in difficult circumstances.

"We know that they are appreciating the support of residents as they complete unfamiliar rounds.”

Those remaining council workers will attempt to empty street litter and dog poo bins at some point this week.

The council added that residents can still take their recycling to the tip on Hunters Lane – which is run by the county council and not affected by the strikes.

Residents are reminded that visiting the tip requires a booking in advance.