Unite has criticised the chief executive of Wrexham council after it has emerged that millions of pounds of funding was allocated by the Welsh government to be used for workers, who are now set to take industrial action over attacks on their conditions and a loss of pay.

Around 100 workers in the street scene operative team at the council will strike for several days from this month in a dispute about changes to their working patterns that would see them lose half a day's pay every bank holiday. Street scene operators include refuse workers as well as those working on parks, gardens and highways.

Wrexham council claimed the changes were due to cost saving, with bank holiday Monday bin collections changed to the Saturdays following bank holidays without any consultation with Unite. This means workers now have to compulsorily work Saturdays and are threatened with disciplinary action if they do not attend when previously they could volunteer to do overtime.

The council has unilaterally decided to extend the working week despite Wrexham council recently receiving £3,808,252.13 in funding for waste services from the Welsh government, including the street scene team.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: "The behaviour of Wrexham council towards our members has been nothing short of a disgrace.

"This is an entirely preventable dispute and senior management have serious questions to answer about this attack on our hardworking members' pay and conditions despite the fact the council has received significant funding for refuse and recycling teams."

The council’s new interim chief executive, Alywn Jones, has also failed to engage with Unite following an initial meeting to resolve the dispute. He will have had knowledge of the funding last month, when Unite members were being balloted to take action.

Workers will be striking every weekend from 23 August until 15 November, while an overtime ban will also be in place during this time.

Unite regional officer Simon Ellis said: "Unite is extremely disappointed that our members and the residents of Wrexham have been caused undue worry when the interim chief executive was fully aware of significant additional funding from the Welsh Government specifically for the street scene department and has the ability to stop the disruption.

"The council have said their plans are necessary as a cost-cutting measure, but they have extra government funding which would allow them to put our members' working patterns back to the way they were.

"Alywn Jones must prioritise a meeting with Unite and provide an explanation why workers' conditions and pay are being threatened despite this significant funding being available."

ENDS