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Crunch meeting on bin strikes threat
UNION chiefs have called a crunch meeting which could pave the way for bin strikes in Leeds.
The three major public service unions will meet on Thursday to decide whether to ballot members on industrial action over Leeds City Council's plan to slash refuse workers' pay.
UNISON, the GMB and UNITE, have joined forces to fight the pay cuts which they describe as "completely unacceptable".
The mass meeting will be held at Leeds Civic Hall at 6.30pm.
Refuse collection workers in Leeds are being threatened with massive cuts in their pay – as much as 6,000, which is around a third of their annual salaries.
Union bosses say it will "devastate the lives of people doing some of the hardest and most vital jobs in Leeds."
Members will discuss a proposal for a ballot on industrial action which could see strike action across the city over the summer.
The YEP reported on Friday how the council wants to make sweeping changes to the service.
The local authority has drawn up plans it says will improve productivity, tackle chronic absenteeism and save about 1.7m.
Council chiefs have warned private companies could be asked to run the refuse collection service after a breakdown in talks with the unions.
GMB organiser Desiree Risebury said: "The council is threatening to privatise the service which everyone knows will lead to a much worse cleansing service for the people of Leeds.
"Our members are angry and distressed at the way they are being treated.
"Their lives are being ruined by Council bureaucrats, many of whom are on astronomical salaries – from 50,000 to over 200,000 – and never have to risk their health and well-being by keeping our streets clean.
"It is like going back to Victorian times when vastly wealthy employers condemned their workers to poverty."
Leon Kirkham, convenor for UNISON, said: "There is no justification for such massive pay cuts. We will not stand by and let this happen to them and if we are forced to take industrial action we will not hesitate to do so."
Leader of Leeds City Council Richard Brett (Lib-Dem, Burmantofts and Richmond Hill) said: "Our door is still open if there are new suggestions from the unions as to how we might solve the difficulties."
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Friday 25 May 2012
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