Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner has urged striking bin workers in Birmingham to accept a new deal to end the dispute – sparking an angry response from the head of the Unite union.
Rayner said a "significantly improved" offer had been made and that the city council had "moved significantly to meet the demands of the workers so we can see an end to this dispute".
However, Unite General Secretary Sharon Graham said the deal represented "a partial deal on pay protection for a few" and that the striking bin workers were "in the driving seat around what they wish to accept".
All-out strikes in Birmingham began on 11 March and have seen piles of bin bags line many streets.
At the end of last month, the council declared a major incident, citing an estimated 17,000 tonnes of rubbish across the city over the first four weeks of the strike.
There have also been calls in the House of Commons to involve the Army in clearing up, amid reports of an increase in rats and concerns about public health.
The dispute centres on the loss of a health and safety job role.
Unite said it would affect about 150 staff and mean a cut of up to £8,000 a year for some, and the loss of pay progression for hundreds of others.
However, Birmingham City Council said the post did not exist at other authorities and it has disputed both the number of staff affected and the sum of money involved.
Despite several rounds of negotiations, the two parties it seems cannot even agree on fundamental details.