Paying waste service workers overtime to tackle strike-cancelled bin collections could lead to more staff joining the picket lines, the council has warned.
Around 3,600 homes in Baxenden and the Peel area of Accrington were left without bin collections for four weeks last month due to strike action by binmen over pay.
Hyndburn council has revealed they saved around £20,000 in wages across the council due to the strike day on July 10 including around £3,000 from waste service staff.
Bosses also said it would cost around £12,000 to put on an extra bin collection round for affected households.
However, council leader Miles Parkinson said that course of action would set a precedent and encourage waste service workers to join future strikes.
Speaking at a recent cabinet meeting, he said: “The idea of having a catch up round on the following Saturday like Christmas means you then have to pay overtime rates.
“The practicalities of that if you were striking, you might think to yourself I’ve had a day off, I’ve been on overtime, I might as well go out on strike again as I’ll be able to catch my wage up.
“You would be adding to the problem where you might get more strikes because they are not losing any income.”
Conservative councillor Brian Roberts disagreed and said the council should have used savings on the day to fund an extra bin round.
