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Eastbourne bin strike: Refuse drivers begin 11-day strike

BBC Strike action outside a refuse depot in EastbourneBBC
On Monday around 20 workers joined the picket line in Courtlands Road

Refuse truck drivers in Eastbourne have begun the first of 11 planned days of strike action as a row with the local council continues.

Eastbourne Borough Council says 19 of its 88 staff walked out at the Courtlands Road depot in a dispute over pay and conditions.

It says GMB Union members "unlawfully blocked" vehicles driven by non-striking workers leaving the depot.

The union previously said the council's pay offer was "below market value".

This latest action follows three previous days of strikes. The first was held on New Year's Eve, and members also walked out again Friday last week and Monday.

GMB Union A picket line outside Courtlands Road depot on 31 DecGMB Union
Union members joined a picket line on New Years Eve in the first of a string of strike action

The council say its offer of a 7% pay increase remains the same, but the union is holding out for an offer closer to 20%.

It said that in 2019 all staff received a 4% increase in pay, with a further increase of 2.75% in 2020.

Annual leave had also been increased from 20 days to 25 days for all staff, it added.

A GMB spokesperson suggested if talks on Monday were successful, action could be suspended from Tuesday onwards.

The union has been approached for further comment.

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