New offer made to refuse workers to end strike action

Council body Cosla has made an improved offer to council workers

Published 29th Aug 2022
Last updated 29th Aug 2022

A new offer has been made to Scottish council cleansing staff in a bid to halt ongoing strike action.

A walkout in Edinburgh which saw rubbish litter the streets during the Edinburgh Festival Fringe is due to end on Wednesday, while staff in authorities across Scotland took action over the weekend with a further stretch planned for next week.

The GMB, Unison and Unite unions were in talks with local authority body Cosla on Sunday, but it is understood an offer has now been made to halt the actions.

The details of the offer have not yet been made public, with union leaders expected to go discuss the offer before putting it to members for approval.

Cosla resources spokeswoman Katie Hagmann refused to confirm the offer had been made, but said: "We remain in intense active discussions with our trade union colleagues."

Refuse workers walk out in Edinburgh

Rubbish bins overflowing in the Grassmarket due to industrial action by Edinburgh council workers.

An overflowing bin can be seen outside the Waverley Market next to the station.

Rubbish pilling up in residential streets in Gorgie.

Tourists walk past overflowing bins, at the height of festival season in the Capital.

The sixth day of the Waste Service Strike has led to central Edinburgh becoming an unsanitary mess.

Rubbish bins overflowing outside Edinburgh Waverley.

Rubbish pilling up in residential streets in Gorgie.

Bins overflowing with rubbish are being taped up as they begin to overflow with waste, at the height of festival season.

Despite the first round of strike action coming to an end in Edinburgh this week, many residents will not have their full backlog of waste collected before the next round of industrial action begins.

For households which have kerbside pickups in Scotland's capital, landfill waste and dry recycling waste are collected on alternating weeks.

With the next strike due to begin on September 6, the city council confirmed only one type of rubbish would be picked up per household.

Around 140,000 households in the city receive kerbside recycling.

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