Overview
- Council leader John Cotton said Monday that a negotiated settlement is within sight after the city put an improved offer to Unite to end the 16‑month dispute.
- Unite outlined ballpark terms that include a minimum two‑year buffer from job‑evaluation impacts, a route to permanent jobs for long‑term agency workers, scrapping disciplinary cases, counting the dispute as authorised absence for pensions, and ending legal action on both sides.
- Any agreement still needs detailed meetings, a vote by refuse workers, and formal council approval that pre‑election rules delay until after the May 7 local polls.
- Unite welcomed the shift yet accused government‑appointed commissioners of trying to block the offer and warned it will escalate the action if the council backtracks.
- The strike began in January 2025 over plans to remove the Waste Recycling and Collection Officer role, led to about 21,000 tonnes of uncollected waste and a declared major incident, and Monday’s timing drew election‑season criticism from opposition councillors.