Students complain over bin strike

The strike centres around a new pay and grading system for staff

Students living in shared houses in Leeds say they are being hit especially hard by the city's bin strike.

They claim piles of rubbish uncollected for nearly three weeks has led to problems with flies and rats.

Student Ciara Comerford, who lives with five others in Headingley, said: "The smell is awful and there's loads of flies in the house."

The strike by refuse collectors and cleaning staff centres around a new pay and grading system for staff.

Ms Comerford, 20, who is studying at Leeds Metropolitan University, said: "There's six of us so if you imagine six people's rubbish it quickly mounts up.

'A mess'

"We always have a full bin on regular collections, but now our bins are overflowing and the rubbish is spilling out all over the streets."

Student Ben Brook, 19, said he had spotted rats near the house he lives on Manor Drive.

"There's seven of us, so we're just throwing away the food and keeping tins and cardboard.

"We've got cardboard stacked up in the garden because it's hard for us to get to a tip. It's just a mess."

The strike centres on union claims that the council plans to cut refuse collectors' annual salaries by up to £5,000 from February 2011.

Desiree Risebury of the GMB union, whose members are also taking part in the strike, said workers had voted unanimously in favour of continuing the industrial action at a mass meeting on Thursday.

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