REFUSE workers claim that a council has "refused" to meet them to discuss the continuing bin strike.

The GMB Union says that Eastbourne council can end the strike that has been ongoing for nearly two weeks, if the two parties meet in person.

GMB Eastbourne refuse collectors have now said they will go ahead with a further 11 days of industrial action.

The union says a face-to-face negotiation is vital to talks as the lead representative, Mark Turner, is visually impaired and struggles to use Zoom and similar online platforms.

It says that it has asked to meet tomorrow, January 13, but this request has been "left unanswered".

Mark Turner, GMB B50 branch secretary said: “The council’s only focus appears at this time is to try to break the strike and blames GMB for the inconvenience to the residents of Eastbourne.

“We hoped they might take responsibility for this mess - given they’ve moved the service back towards being in-house through an arms-length company.

"Since then they have done nothing to improve the poverty pay rates or welfare, health and safety of their workers.

“My visual impairment means that online meetings can be difficult for me and in person conferences allow me to be properly involved in the discussions - especially when they are so important. 

“Unfortunately this simple request appears to be beyond the council, so we have to waste our time chasing them to meet rather than resolving the dispute and bringing the strike to a conclusion.

“Ending walk-outs and avoiding rubbish piling up in the city’s streets was within the grasp of the council if they only showed a real willingness to get back around the negotiating table.”

Eastbourne Borough Council, however, says that it has offered to meet the group face to face.

A spokesman for the council said: "Often during industrial disputes, the GMB Union make a claim that the other side don’t want to meet them. We do want to meet them.

"We have already met them and earlier this week offered to meet them again, in person today, in Eastbourne.

"Mr Turner has also said that meetings online using Zoom or Microsoft Teams are not suitable because of his visual impairment.

"We have offered telephone conference calls, but Mr Turner has also said that calls are not suitable.

"Our offers to meet online and over the telephone are in large part due to guidance on working from home and the risk posed by increasing Omicron infections.

"However, we will meet in person with Mr Turner if that is the only option open to him and welcome him to Eastbourne as soon as he is available."

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