Two-week bin strike begins in Brighton and Hove

A two-week strike by refuse truck drivers has begun in Brighton and Hove.

The GMB union said 100% of members who took part in the ballot voted to strike in a dispute over changes of duties and the removal of drivers from long-standing rounds.

Brighton and Hove City Council said it understood strike action would take place but it was "still hopeful" it could resolve the dispute.

A previous strike in 2013 saw rubbish piled high on the city's streets.

A spokesman for the GMB said: "A constant one-sided enforced driver removals, changes of duties, crew variations and alterations in plans around the collection of dropped work has had a detrimental impact on the HGV driver's health and well-being at the city's Hollingdean depot."

Brighton and Hove City Council said it sometimes needed to make crew changes, or move members of staff from one round to another.

Nick Hibberd, the council's executive director for economy, environment and culture, said: "Changes are requested to prioritise areas where rubbish and recycling has unfortunately built up due to unavoidable staff shortages, vehicle break downs, or for performance reasons.

"We have made a number of detailed proposals which we hope GMB and the HGV drivers will agree."

In June 2013 refuse and recycling workers went on strike after the union claimed staff were facing pay cuts of up to £4,000 a year.

Businesses in parts of the city clubbed together to clean up their rubbish-strewn streets because they feared it was harming trade and posing a health hazard.

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