CLEANSING bosses will be drafting in contractors to collect bins for the first time in 12 years as COP26 strikes continue - and they will be sending the bill to the GMB.

Glasgow City Council said it was left with "no option" but to call in private hire firms to minimise disruption during the industrial action. 

A total of 970 cleansing employees have downed their tools during the climate summit in a campaign for better pay.

The walkout - which has left bins overflowing across the city - started at one minute past midnight on Monday morning and is expected to last until November 8. 

Glasgow Times:

The local authority had previously asked the union to provide priority exemptions from strikes in a bid to tackle potential public health risks caused by overflowing bins. 

But, after a meeting was held today, the union rejected the request. 

The local authority informed union representatives it will bill them in an attempt to recoup costs.

A spokeswoman said: “The GMB has left us with no option but to explore contingency plans to tackle the unfolding public health and fire hazards the strike is causing. This is not an action we consider lightly and this is the first time we have had to consider it since 2009.

“We had appealed on Sunday to them, during the ongoing negotiations, for public health exemptions which included refuse collections from high rises, student accommodation and street bins and but this was refused.

“We can’t have rubbish piling up – especially when the union keeps changing the duration of the strike. On Sunday they told us the strike would last two or three days, today they told us 8 days.

“During a strike meeting today, we told GMB that our senior counsel’s opinion is that the strike is unlawful but our hope remains that we can resolve the issues with continuing dialogue.

"We will be considering recouping any public funds spent on private contractors from the GMB – as our citizens should not be penalised in the pocket for a dispute over national pay talks.”

Glasgow Times:

It comes shortly after we told how parks staff would be moved from their normal duties to collect bins during the ongoing strike action. 

Cleansing chiefs earlier confirmed they would be deploying staff from environmental services for refuse collections in a bid to minimise disruption. 

The GMB had previously agreed to stall strike action during the climate summit after COSLA offered those earning below £25,000 an additional £1062.

Union chiefs say that the U-turn was prompted by Glasgow City Council failing to give “the proper time and space to consider the 11th-hour offer from Cosla”.