Bin strike in South Gloucestershire suspended for three days
A strike by 150 refuse and recycling collectors in South Gloucestershire will be suspended for three days from Monday, as a 'gesture of goodwill' after bosses increased their pay offer.
The workers, who are members of the Unite union, will now be balloted on whether to accept the new offer, or to reject it and resume the strike action. Bins have gone uncollected, with rubbish and recycling piling up in the streets and long queues at recycling centres from Thornbury[1] to Filton[2] and Yate[3] to Kingswood[4], as the strike has hit waste collections hard since it began last month.
Bristol Live reported last week[5] that people had resorted to regular bonfires to burn their uncollected rubbish[6] and recycling, and in early July council leaders in South Gloucestershire[7] said the bin strike was causing a 'public health crisis'[8]. The company that runs the waste contract for South Gloucestershire Council[9], Suez, had previously said their initial offer was a fair one, but now have returned with a fresh improved offer, which has brought the strike at least to a temporary pause.
Unite regional officer Ken Fish said members would return to work on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday next week, but if the offer is rejected in the ballot, the strike will resume on Thursday, August 3. “As an act of goodwill our members have agreed to suspend strike action while they are balloted on the new offer," he said.
References
- ^ Thornbury (www.bristolpost.co.uk)
- ^ Filton (www.bristolpost.co.uk)
- ^ Yate (www.bristolpost.co.uk)
- ^ Kingswood (www.bristolpost.co.uk)
- ^ Bristol Live reported last week (www.bristolpost.co.uk)
- ^ burn their uncollected rubbish (www.bristolpost.co.uk)
- ^ South Gloucestershire (www.bristolpost.co.uk)
- ^ causing a 'public health crisis' (www.bristolpost.co.uk)
- ^ South Gloucestershire Council (www.bristolpost.co.uk)
- ^ Striking bin workers using foodbanks because 'wages are so low' (www.bristolpost.co.uk)