Strike row over contractor claims

A row has broken out over the use of private contractors to empty rubbish bins in Leeds as a strike by bin collectors enters its second week.

Unions said they were seeking urgent legal advice on the council's use of outside companies as the industrial action over a pay dispute continues.

The council said it was perfectly legitimate to use private companies and agencies to clean the streets.

Employees have been picketing refuse depots in the city since last week.

The Unison and GMB unions said a number of vehicles, which they believed belonged to private contractors, had been seen emptying dustbins in parts of the city.

'Expensive agencies'

Unison regional organiser Tony Pearson said: "We are gathering more information about these refuse collection vehicles to determine who ultimately employs the staff working on them and whether they are licensed to carry waste.

"The council is using every tactic they can think of to break this strike, regardless of the enormous cost to council tax payers of bringing in hugely expensive outside agencies."

A Leeds City Council spokesman said: "Our legal advice tells us that it is perfectly legitimate for us to bring in private contractors."

He added that the council was using private contractors and agency staff to deal with the backlog caused by the strike.

The council said about 13 refuse collection crews were now working across the city.

On a normal day, about 30 vehicles would operate, the authority said.

The spokesman said it hoped to have about half its normal refuse collection service in operation by Wednesday.

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