More than 45,000 homes and businesses may not have their rubbish collected amid escalating industrial action

Four Adelaide council areas are facing a pile-up of rubbish as industrial action threatens collections.

More than 45,000 Adelaide residents and businesses face not having their rubbish bins collected later this week amid escalating industrial action.

At least 40,000 Cleanaway bins in four local government areas, including the city council, Charles Sturt, Marion and Port Adelaide Enfield, will not be collected during planned strike action on Friday by garbage truck drivers.

Another 5000 commercial rubbish bins will stay full across the CBD, western and southern suburbs as up to 60 drivers walk-off the job between 12.01am and 11.59pm.

The company’s commercial contracts include Adelaide Airport, On the Run service stations, Drakes Supermarkets and Education Department.

Waste industry insiders said the company was expected to arrange for non-union drivers from other depots to potentially collect garbage collected over the weekend.

During 12-month of talks, the Transport Workers Union has battled for better pay and conditions, including the scrapping of enforced weekend work.

Cleanaway, which has more than half of local council rubbish work, has offered an annual 2.3 per cent increase for top graded drivers and 2.3 per cent for second tier workers.

The union wants at least 4.6 per cent along with additional superannuation.

Businesses and residents in the councl areas of Charles Sturt, Marion, Port Adelaide-Enfield and Adelaide city may miss their weekly bin collection. Picture: Stephen Laffer

TWU SA/ NT secretary Ian Smith said road transport was “Australia’s deadliest industry” and workers were at their “wits’ end”.

He said strike threat could end with a “decent offer on the table” but drivers should not be forced to work weekends even with penalty rates.

“It’s a last resort for them but we’ve been negotiating with this company for a very, very long time,” he said.

“Garbos are working long hours, some up to 60-hour weeks, and it is an essential service. They are happy to work weekends if they choose with penalty rates but not be forced. It’s about proper fatigue management and allowing them to spend time with their families.”

He said 96 per cent of balloted garbage drivers last week voted for the industrial action “if Cleanaway continues its attacks on safe rostering, wages and entitlements”.

Cleanaway’s wage offer of half the rate of inflation “only increases the pressure on drivers who will have to work longer hours or drive tired to make up for real wage cuts”.

He also urged councils to take responsibility to help lift worker standards.

A Cleanaway spokesman warned of disruptions. “Cleanaway will continue to negotiate … in good faith,” he said.

“We will continue to engage transparently with the (TWU) to reach an agreement as soon as possible.

“We expect there to be some disruptions to household collections on Friday, however we will ensure contingencies are in place to minimise any impact.” Cleanaway was convicted after a magistrates court trial over an August 2014 South Eastern Freeway truck crash that killed two people. It faces a maximum $3m fine.