Cardiff and Wrexham council workers extend strike by six weeks

Bin collections will be particularly affected, the Unite union says

Council workers in Cardiff and Wrexham will strike for an additional six weeks over pay disputes.

Workers at both councils have already undertaken five weeks of strike action.

The action was due to end on 13 October, but workers will remain on strike until 24 November in Wrexham and 26 November in Cardiff.

The strike will affect refuse collections and recycling centres in particular, according to the Unite union.

It said the councils had "failed" to negotiate over the pay rates. But Wrexham urged the union to call off the strike until it had concluded pay negotiations nationally, and entered local discussions.

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Unite members previously rejected the local authority employers' pay offer - a total of £1,925 for those earning less than £49,950 - which it said was "a real terms pay cut for workers".

It added many union members at Welsh local authorities were paid "barely" above the national minimum wage.

It said union members were "angry" and the strike would continue until an "improved pay deal" is offered.

Workers will be on strike for a continuous period of nine weeks.

It is expected that as the strike extends into October and November the effects on residents' refuse collections will worsen.

Cardiff council said: "We will advise our residents if there will be any further impact on waste services. If services do change, we will advise them accordingly through all council communication channels."

Wrexham council asked United "to discuss and listen by concluding national pay negotiations properly, entering into local discussions through recognised processes, and calling off the proposed further five weeks strike until both these processes are completed".

Wrexham said it was "prepared to listen to the difficult issues employees and the council as a whole faces, as are other trade unions who are meeting without or in advance of any industrial action"

It added: "Why is Unite not prepared to do this?"