The strike by garbage collectors in Rincón de la Victoria, Málaga province, is in its fourth day and an estimated 120 tons of rubbish has accumulated on the streets. The town has a population of around 40,000 people.
The workers are protesting against plans to increase the working week from 35 to 37.5 hours and the loss of social supplements.
According to the unions, the workers are not seeking an increase in pay but just want to re-establish their purchasing power by recovering the 12% salary increase conceded two years earlier under a pay freeze.
The Council, in turn, has offered a pay freeze and guaranteed job security for permanent employees until 2015.