A CRUNCH meeting will today see union and Enterprise Liverpool bosses attempt to break the city’s bin strike deadlock.

The pay and conditions row has seen 600 workers, including refuse collectors and street cleaners, taking industrial action since August 28.

The GMB union accepted an invitation

to talks held by the arbitration service Acas and will today attempt to thrash out a deal.

Enterprise-Liverpool is a joint partnership between Liverpool Council and Enterprise plc.

The action has taken the form of a series of one and two-hour strikes by various departments throughout the working day.

Picket lines were being manned at various Enterprise sites last week, including the main refuse collection depot in Kirkby.

Some strikers claimed unofficial labour is being used to break the strike.

Today’s talks are due to be held at the Acas offices at the Matchworks, in Speke.

GMB regional officer Dave Hulse said: “We hope the talks will be productive, but the strikes will continue until we have an offer acceptable to our members.”

An Enterprise-Liverpool spokesman said: “We are pleased the unions have finally agreed to our offer of talks, after initially rejecting an approach from Acas to resolve this dispute through arbitration.

“We have already resolved the vast majority of the 21 issues they had raised as part of the dispute.

“In these tough economic times, we have to be realistic about what council taxpayers can afford.