21 September 2012 Last updated at 04:35 ET

Doncaster bin workers go on strike in pay dispute

Refuse workers have gone on a day-long strike in Doncaster in a pay row which will disrupt bin collections.

It is the first in a number of walkouts planned by more than 100 union members working for Sita UK with additional strikes planned up to 15 October.

Chris Weldon of Unite said the workers were only asking for the same wages that others get for doing the same job.

Nick Browning of Sita UK said: "We cannot justify increasing the offer of 1.7% that we have made nationally."

Workers are picketing outside the Holmes and Denaby depots.

Collections suspended

Mr Browning, the company's general manager, said the union had asked for an "unreasonable" average pay increase of 13%.

Mr Weldon said the union wanted parity with bin workers doing the same job in the Kirklees district of West Yorkshire.

He said those workers earned £1 an hour more than his members in Doncaster and also worked for Sita UK.

The union said members would also continue a ban on overtime, which began on 14 September.

Doncaster Council said green garden bin collections had been suspended until 15 October to minimise disruption to black bin collections.

Collections of recycling boxes and bags will be fortnightly instead of weekly, in areas that have collections on Mondays and Fridays.

Household recycling centres will remain open as usual, the council said.