Bin strikes spread to more council areas across Scotland today
Members of the GMB and Unison are going out on strike
The bin strikes are spreading as two more unions join in walk outs across Scotland, with more council areas impacted by industrial action.
GMB Scotland members in 16 council areas are taking four days of action from Friday until Monday, coinciding with existing action in Edinburgh, while Unison is walking out in eight local authorties.
Workers in North Lanarkshire, Stirling, Midlothian, Aberdeenshire and Perth and Kinross are joining the dispute.
It comes after Unite members working in waste services in 13 councils walked out on Wednesday, joining workers in Edinburgh who began strike action on August 18.
5% offer not enough
Unions have already rejected a 5% wage increase - funded in part with ÂŁ140 million of Scottish Government cash - claiming this is insufficient in the face of rampant inflation and soaring bills.
GMB Scotland senior organiser for public services Keir Greenaway said: "GMB members are clear that they are not prepared to accept working poverty as an inevitability and their strike actions are a direct response to the failure of political leaders to realise this."
'Positive' discussions
Discussions between local government body Cosla, trade unions and the Scottish Government, took place on Thursday.
Speaking following the talks, Deputy First Minister John Swinney said: "Whilst the Scottish Government has no formal role in the negotiations, we continue to work collaboratively with Cosla and the trades unions and met them today for continued discussions.
"I welcome the commitment from all parties to continue talks to find a fair and sustainable settlement that will bring an end to the ongoing industrial action. I want to ensure an early resolution and that will only come about if there's intense dialogue. The Scottish Government has facilitated that today.
"We are doing all we can within the resources available to us in the face of the cost-of-living emergency and have provided an extra Ă‚ÂŁ140 million on a recurring basis to support a higher pay award."
Edinburgh's waste workers in Unite are set to strike until August 30, while in the other 13 council areas industrial action will continue until August 31.
Rubbish piles in Edinburgh
Rubbish bins overflowing in the Grassmarket due to industrial action by Edinburgh council workers.
An overflowing bin can be seen outside the Waverley Market next to the station.
Rubbish pilling up in residential streets in Gorgie.
Tourists walk past overflowing bins, at the height of festival season in the Capital.
The sixth day of the Waste Service Strike has led to central Edinburgh becoming an unsanitary mess.
Rubbish bins overflowing outside Edinburgh Waverley.
Rubbish pilling up in residential streets in Gorgie.
Bins overflowing with rubbish are being taped up as they begin to overflow with waste, at the height of festival season.
More council areas involved
Unite members in waste services who are currently taking strike action will take another eight days of action from September 6 to 13, while a further five local authorities: Aberdeenshire, Dumfries and Galloway, East Dunbartonshire, Fife and North Ayrshire - will join the second phase of strike action.
The union's members in schools and early years services across seven councils - Angus, Dundee, East Renfrewshire, Glasgow, Inverclyde, North Lanarkshire, and South Lanarkshire - are also scheduled to take strike action from September 6 to 9.
Glasgow City Council announced on Thursday that all its nurseries, primaries and additional support for learning (ASL) schools will be closed from September 6 to 8 due to industrial action.
GMB Scotland waste and recycling members are taking strike action in Aberdeen City, Angus, Dundee, East Ayrshire, East Lothian, Falkirk, Glasgow, Inverclyde, Highland, Midlothian, Orkney, South Ayrshire, South Lanarkshire, West Lothian, Perth and Kinross and North Lanarkshire.
September strike
It said that four more days of strikes in waste and recycling services will run from Wednesday September 7 to Saturday September 10, alongside three days of strike action on 6, 7, and 8 September involving GMB schools and early years services members in Glasgow City and East Renfrewshire councils.
Unite waste services members are currently striking in Edinburgh, Aberdeen City, Angus, Dundee, East Ayrshire, East Lothian, East Renfrewshire, Falkirk, Glasgow, Highland, Inverclyde, South Ayrshire, South Lanarkshire and West Lothian.