Although action will initially be focused at three recycling centres in the city this weekend, the incinerator will be the union’s next target if a resolution is not found.

“I think the problem will get worse with the civic amenities sites closed at the weekend,” he said.

“The next step is to target the Baldovie site — that will cause chaos in terms of how the city gets rid of rubbish. I think it would put the tin lid on it.”

The industrial action began late last month when the council dropped overtime payments for public holidays, saving an estimated £300,000 per annum.

Council refuse workers, some of whom claim to have lost out by as much as £500 a year, voted for strike action and the collection of waste from across Dundee has been hit by damaging delays.

For the last two weekends, city centre bins have not been emptied or the streets cleaned.

Meanwhile, Baldovie recycling centre was forced to close temporarily on Saturday after workers staged a picket, stopping recycling centre workers moving waste on and off the premises.

Mr Coupar told the Tele the workers were willing to negotiate, but the council were yet to make a reasonable offer.

He said, “We would welcome an open negotiation and have said that since last December, but, as yet, no negotiations have taken place at all.

“In April last year, the council chief executive gave us an assurance there would be no changes to terms and conditions, but by December the administration and the chief executive were saying they needed to reduce the conditions of service.

“An employer saying we propose to cut your pay and then doing it without consultation is not a negotiation.”

Mr Coupar stressed the union did not intend to upset householders and that industrial action was aimed at forcing the council to the table.

“If the council wants to discuss a deal that won’t cost my members any money, then I will be happily participate in those kinds of negotiations,” he said. “But I won’t be told or sold the same old nonsense again. If we are going to meet with the council, they must give us an assurance it will be a meaningful negotiation.”

Unite represents more than 200 employees in the city council’s waste management department.

The city council has repeated its offer of a meeting with Unite, with a city council spokesman saying, “The head of waste management met with Colin Coupar two weeks ago and put forward a proposal to try to resolve the dispute and avoid any disruption to the public.

“In respect of Sunday overtime, this involved a proposal which would meet the aspirations of the employees provided they agreed to a revised contractual arrangement to ensure there was sufficient cover.

“Unfortunately, Unite has not put this proposal to their members and are now threatening to escalate their industrial action regardless.

“The city council is still prepared to enter into discussions around the proposal put forward two weeks ago, and an offer of a meeting with Unite officials has been made by the chief executive.”