Fresh row erupts in Birmingham bin strike
Waste trucks have been delayed leaving depots today
A fresh row has broken out between the two sides in the long-running Birmingham bins strike, which continues to cause huge disruption to refuse collections in the city.
Members of Unite have been on all-out strike for more than two months in a bitter dispute over pay and jobs.
The conciliation service Acas is involved in trying to achieve a breakthrough but despite a number of meetings, the dispute remains deadlocked.
Birmingham City Council issued a statement on Thursday warning of fresh delays to collections.
It said: "Actions by pickets at two of our depots have meant very few of our waste lorries have been deployed this morning.
"People have the right to strike but those that want to work should be allowed to do so. We also want to ensure that the situation is safe for everyone, which has to be a priority for us.
"Unfortunately, delays this morning will affect the amount of collections we are able to make.
"We will continue to look at all options to ensure we can get trucks out and keep the streets clean."
A Unite spokesperson said: "The council's claims are an attempt to blame workers on legal, safe and peaceful picket lines for the disruption to services it has caused through its huge and unnecessary pay cuts."