Bin collections in Leeds should be back to normal by Christmas after workers voted to end their 11-week strike.

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Householders should see an improvement by the end of next week, said

council leader Coun Brett.

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He said private contractors were likely to be kept on for a short time so that the backlog of rubbish was shifted as quickly as possible.

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Bin crews and street cleansing staff will march back to work tomorrow at depots in Cross Green and Yeadon after a secret ballot in which 79 per cent of GMB and Unison members voted to accept a council offer.

The deal maintains – and in some cases improves – current salaries in return for a series of efficiency and productivity improvements.

A similar offer made five weeks ago was overwhelmingly rejected. Strikers had said some of the productivity targets, particularly a requirement to collect bins from 220 homes per hour, were unachievable.

Union representatives had recommended that the latest offer be accepted and Tony Pearson, Unison regional organiser, said: "The council will achieve substantial improvements through productivity and modernisation, but where as before we were talking about 220 bins every contractual hour, we are now talking about a more achievable figure which will be finalised in due course."

The strike started on September 7 and was sparked by a new pay and grading structure, drawn up to meet a national equal pay agreement, that left bin workers facing a 4,500 cut to their 17,500 annual pay. Some street cleansing staff also faced wage reduction.

Under the deal agreed, current wages will be largely maintained although a small number of workers still face a wage loss. Talks over their position will continue.

The efficiencies agreed in the deal include some new shift patterns and a reorganisation of rounds.

Coun Brett said he was pleased agreement had been reached and added: "The deal fundamentally changes the way the service operates.

"Collection rounds are no longer set in stone. When the new ones are in place the miles travelled by wagons will be cut by 15 per cent because they will not be doubling back on themselves."

Union members accepted the deal at a mass meeting held at the Jongleurs comedy club.

Colin Burgon MP (Lab, Elmet), who has strongly supported the strikers, told them they had achieved a magnificent victory.

Coun Keith Wakefield, Labour group leader, said he was pleased the strike was over and would be demanding the "true cost" of the dispute to the people of Leeds.

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