Bin wagons are back out on the streets of Wirral after strikes were called off at the last minute.
More than 200 Biffa employees on the outsourced Wirral Council waste collection contract were set to escalate their industrial action with strikes over the key period between Christmas and New Year and again in January.
Having already carried out a period of strike action earlier in December, Biffa staff who are members of the Unite union were set to walk out again from today (December 28) until Saturday December 31. The plan was for more strikes to then be held between January 3 and 7 and January 16 and 21.
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But those strikes are now off after workers voted to accept an improved pay offer. The dispute has now ended, with all planned strikes cancelled.
This means bins are being collected across the borough today, but Wirral Council has warned that disruption will continue as bin crews try to catch up with their normal schedule.
A Wirral Council spokesperson said: "After discussions that continued throughout the Christmas holiday period between Biffa and the council, we have been informed this morning that an agreement has been reached between Biffa and their workforce and planned industrial action has now been called off. As such, Biffa employees have resumed work this morning.
"Inevitably, due to the previous week of industrial action between 5 and 11 December, some prevailing winter weather conditions during December and the Christmas bank holidays, it will take more time for the crews to reach a point where kerbside waste collections will return fully to their regular schedule."
The council said that additional crews will be working to collect green bins from all roads that were still outstanding even after last week's 'catch up' operation. Biffa has a list of those streets affected.
Residents whose green bin was not collected in the week commencing December 12 or the week commencing December 19 have been advised to put their bin out for collections and crews will aim to collect them between December 28 and 30.
Normal, scheduled collections are now taking place, though they may be later than usual due to catch up. Residents have been advised to put their bin out for collection on their scheduled day and crews will empty them as soon as possible.
Street cleansing and alleyway cleansing is also resuming today, with priority being given to emptying litter bins and street cleansing in high footfall areas.
People can check their scheduled bin collection dates at wirral.gov.uk/binday
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