Conciliation service Acas is stepping in to help settle the feud between Brighton and Hove dustmen and their managers.

Refuse staff voted overwhelmingly in favour of industrial action, which could include a strike, following the suspension of 11 fellow workers.

Management said the 11 had been on a go-slow which left bin bags piling up. Staff denied the claim and accused the management of bullying.

Managers of Brighton and Hove City Council's in-house refuse service Cityclean and representatives of the GMB union, representing the binmen, spent two days in talks on Thursday and Friday trying to thrash out a deal which would avert strike action. They failed to reach an agreement.

Talks are set to resume at the end of this week with Acas involvement.

The two sides have said they are both working towards ending years of poor industrial relations between management and the workforce. A spokesman for the council said: "It is now expected that there will be a new commitment from all to move towards a modernised refuse, recycling and street cleaning service if a successful agreement is reached later this week with the help of Acas.

"Representatives of the GMB met the workforce this morning and all voted to go for the outline agreement in order to avert a strike."

Council leader Ken Bodfish said: "We want an agreement that ensures residents get the service they deserve and expect, a regular, reliable collection of rubbish, more recycling and cleaner streets.

"The agreement must also be specific on setting clear targets for the workforce to achieve and improvements in performance to bring about a high level of customer satisfaction. We look to the GMB and its members to deliver an agreed way forward."

Alistair McLean, senior regional organiser for the GMB, said: "I want to see a more robust agreement than we've ever had before and one that's lasting.

"The workforce is ready to deliver a service that will raise customer satisfaction levels beyond the Government's target of 88 per cent."

Councillor Gill Mitchell, who chairs the environment committee, said:

"Everyone has the right to expect to be treated with dignity and respect. That holds true for both the management and workforce."

The council plans to embark upon a £2.7 million investment in kerbside recycling.

Beginning in August and running through to June 2005, 1,000 households a month will start receiving a fortnightly multi-material recycling collection.

This will be followed by the delivery of a wheelie bin once residents reduce the amount of refuse they put out by recycling a good percentage of household waste.