Coventry bin strikes: why are they back nearly a year on?

Residents in Coventry face more disruption to bin collections, after fresh strikes were announced.

Members of Unite the union have voted for industrial action almost a year after a seven-month fight for better pay and working conditions ended.

The latest row is about a move to scrap a condition that allows refuse workers to leave work when collection rounds are finished - rather than stay until the end of the working day.

Coventry City Council says continuing with this practice will lead to more equal pay claims.

It says it aims to minimise disruption around the strikes.

The strike dates have not yet been announced.

A spokesperson for Coventry City Council said:

"The Council is disappointed that 19 of the bin lorry drivers who are members of Unite the Union have voted to take strike action once more. 

"We totally disagree with their stance. Employers and unions must be about equality and fairness to all.

"But the current and historic working practices in this service area are clearly not. 

"We have no vendetta against Unite and we appreciate all the work their members do to deliver vital services to local people.

"But the issue is that the task and finish set up in waste services, which is a male dominated workforce, is a working pattern that is not available to other workers on the same pay grade working in other parts of the Council. 

"This may have been a historical way of working but it is now being challenged as unfair by another union.

"Unite would do better to sit down and talk with GMB as well as ourselves to find a solution. 

"What is clear is that simply continuing with task and finish will lead to more equal pay claims that will lead to additional pressure on the Council, its taxpayers and have a negative impact on the hundreds of services we deliver to residents and businesses ever year".

We are awaiting a statement from Unite.