A hugely disruptive bin strike could be looming as refuse workers lock horns with Kirklees Council bosses.

Staff based at the council’s Huddersfield depot are in dispute with managers over working conditions and time off during the festive period.

A trade union letter, leaked to the Examiner, claims staff working at Vine Street have complained about bullying, being sworn at, shouted at and “treated like dirt”.

Alongside problems with management and rounds, bin crews are fighting a plan to make them work on Friday, January 5.

Collections have only taken place between Monday and Thursday since the council changed the rounds in late 2015.

Grey bins were left unemptied on Beech Ave, Thongsbridge, last week.

A Kirklees union boss has said they have not ruled out strike action.

He has eased fears of industrial action over Christmas as ballots have not been done in time.

A six page letter of complaints from Unison was sent to council bosses by Kirklees Branch Secretary Paul Holmes.

In it he claims the council is riding roughshod over trade union agreements to get the bins emptied by any means possible.

He accuses managers of denying stewards time off to attend union meetings, refusing holiday requests, forcing staff to start/finish from Vine Street and refusing to meet with senior Unison members who attempted to resolve the problems.

The letter goes on to say morale is at “rock bottom” and claims experienced refuse workers are being treated like “children or serfs”.

Speaking to the Examiner, Mr Holmes said strike action was not off the table but it would be the new year before any potential ballot among members.

The union has put its proposals to Kirklees on Tuesday and is waiting to hear back.

Mr Holmes said: “We are dealing with two issues, the bullying and harassment and then the Christmas closure issue.”

He said Kirklees had put forward a Christmas plan which included working on a Friday, when they are not contracted to work, and being made to take two days’ holiday.

UNISON Kirklees, Branch Secretary Paul Holmes.

He said: “They aren’t contracted to work Fridays, and we feel it sets a precedent if the council just alters working days without proper consultation and then tell staff when they have to take holidays off too.

“It was September when they came to us with this, so some may not have holidays to cover it.”

Mr Holmes said a joint grievance by Unison and Unite has been submitted about “bullying and harassment” in the department.

The union has asked for a CNT (central negotiating team) meeting to resolve the dispute, which has not yet happened.

In 2015 Kirklees altered the bin rounds so staff had 38 hours over four days - Monday to Thursday - to collect household waste instead of five days.

A source says the demand means many rounds take longer and staff are working beyond the 38 hours to get the work done.

Mr Holmes added: “They feel they can’t get everything done in the four days.

“The walkout earlier this month was them saying the rounds aren’t do-able.

“There have been 20 agency staff in working today – they need more staff to get all the work done.”

A spokesman for Kirklees Council said: “We work closely with all the unions, and these concerns are broadly around areas of dispute where we are asking workers to fulfil their contracted hours and ways of working, and get the best outcomes for local residents.

"The concern over time off for union duties has only arisen since we began making more robust records of this activity.

"We have recognised mechanisms for requesting and recording time off, and the service is following those.”