Bin strikes: Rubbish lines streets during Edinburgh festivals

Rubbish is lining the streets of Edinburgh after bin workers in the city have gone on strike.

Edinburgh City Council's waste workers began a 12-day strike last week in an argument over their pay.

It means litter and waste isn't being collected in the city, at a time when thousands of tourists are there for the famous festivals.

The Edinburgh Festivals take place during the whole month of August. The strike is currently due to end on 30 August.

Refuse collectors in other cities and towns across Scotland are due to go on strike today.

Read our guide to find out why workers are striking and what happens next.

Why are bin workers striking in Edinburgh?

Rubbish piles up on Edinburgh streets on the first day of the strike

A strike is when a group of workers join together and decide to stop working to demonstrate they are unhappy with the way the organisation they work for is treating them.

In this case, staff who work for Edinburgh City Council have decided to strike because they disagree with how much they are being paid.

The workers are asking for more money because they say their pay is not enough to cover increases in the 'cost of living' - this is when the cost of everyday things, like food, transport and clothes, becomes more expensive, something that's known as inflation.

Unions - the name for groups that represent workers on issues like pay - are in talks with Edinburgh Council about a better pay offer.

A spokesperson for GMB Scotland - one of the unions involved - has warned of huge disruption to life in Scotland's capital city.

Kirsten Muat said: "If political leaders want to avoid the prospect of more strikes across more councils in the weeks to come, then they must urgently make a significantly improved pay offer."

What is the council doing?

Edinburgh bin workers went on strike on Thursday

On Friday, Edinburgh council offered workers a 5% pay increase - more than had previously been offered.

However, on Monday, Unite, one of the unions representing workers, said it would not take the new 5% offer to its members, and that the strike would continue.

Alison Maclean, Unite industrial officer, said: "There remains insignificant detail on the 5% pay offer, and what this in reality means for the lowest paid workers."

On Tuesday, trade unions representing the workers met with Cosla - the body that represents local government in Scotland.

Cosla said the meeting went well, but the trade unions disagreed.

Johanna Baxter, Unison Scotland's head of local government, said they were "a long way" from reaching an agreement.

What is the Scottish government doing?

Edinburgh leader Cammy Day said council leaders want to make an improved offer but need government funding

Part of the argument is over who will fund the extra pay for workers.

Edinburgh council leader Cammy Day said he was happy with the increased pay offer but said the Scottish government should provide more cash to pay for the 5% offer to workers.

Mr Day, told BBC Scotland: "Many leaders across Scotland have agreed that a minimum pay award should be 5%.

"Councils have been cash-strapped for many years. We are cutting services to the bone if we make any more cuts here in Edinburgh.

"We are calling on the Scottish government, who we know have hundreds of millions of pounds in reserves, to dig deep.

"If ever there was a rainy day that rainy day is now."

However, Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, has said that the Scottish government has pledged £140m of funding and it was "really disappointing" that this had not resolved the pay row.

Keir Greenaway, senior organiser for the GMB union, said: "For our members, all they care about is getting a pay rise that will get them through this cost of living crisis.

"At the end of the day, they are more worried about paying their next bills than which government department the money comes from."

What happens next?

Volunteers have been helping to collect rubbish during the strike

Until workers agree to accept a new pay offer the strike in Edinburgh will continue until 30 August.

Other strikes by council workers across Scotland are planned for the coming weeks too.

15 councils will see strikes from workers in waste and recycling services.

Different unions plan to strike between 24 to 31 August, 26 to 29 August, and 7 to 10 September.

Talks between unions and local councils are continuing, but for now, volunteers have been helping clean some of the rubbish from Edinburgh's streets.