



Bin workers in Wrexham have voted to stage a series of walkouts in a dispute that mirrors the lengthy industrial action currently paralysing Birmingham's waste services.
The north Wales workers will begin striking later this month after rejecting imposed changes to their working arrangements and overtime payments.
The Unite union announced that 71 per cent of approximately 100 affected members backed the industrial action, which will see 13 days of strikes between August and November.
Birmingham's bin workers have been on indefinite strike since March, creating significant disruption as rubbish accumulates on city streets.
Both disputes centre on councils implementing contentious changes to workers' pay and conditions without agreement.
The walkouts will commence on August 23, followed by further strikes on August 30, then multiple dates throughout September.
A month later, there is set to be industrial action on October 4, 11, 18 and 25 with the campaign concluding on November 1, 8 and 14.
The industrial action extends beyond refuse collection teams to include other council employees working in parks, gardens and highways maintenance.
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Unite has warned the strikes could prove "extremely disruptive" to services across the borough.
The union is also considering additional walkouts during the Christmas period when household waste typically increases, should the dispute remain unresolved.
The controversy stems from Wrexham Council's decision to replace voluntary overtime arrangements with mandatory Saturday shifts.
Workers who previously received extra leave during Christmas and could choose to work additional hours now face compulsory weekend work, with disciplinary measures threatened for non-attendance.
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Unite claims these modifications will reduce overtime earnings for staff who have already endured multiple years of pay increases falling short of inflation.
The union calculates that each worker stands to lose the equivalent of half a day's wages under the new system.
The council claims these changes form part of cost-reduction measures expected to save themselves £100,000.
However, Unite argues they were imposed without proper consultation with employees or their representatives.
Wrexham Council defended the measures as essential for maintaining financial stability, with interim chief executive Alwyn Jones stating that extensive consultations had taken place with recognised trade unions.
He emphasised that only 19 employees from a workforce of 245 had opposed the proposals during departmental consultations.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham condemned the authority for "behaving disgracefully" and pledged full support for members defending their pay and conditions.
She highlighted that the lowest-paid street scene workers earn £25,583 annually, whilst seven chief officers at the council receive salaries exceeding £100,000.
"No worker should ever be expected to accept forced-through changes to their working patterns or to lose out on hard-earned pay," Graham stated.