A new round of strikes by refuse collection and street cleansing crews in Brighton & Hove has been averted, after union officials agreed to withdraw the threat of industrial action last week.
The GMB union said that talks with the city council on Friday (April 25) had been agreeable and confirmed there would be no repeat of the strikes that left Brighton a bomb site last summer (see letsrecycle.com story).
The threat of industrial action was reignited after new collection rounds were brought in last October, when refuse workers argued Cityclean Brighton & Hove city councils recycling and waste service – would be overstretched.
The union claimed that the authority had failed to consult with staff over the reorganisation of collection rounds, and its members alleged that the changes had caused chaos and significantly increased workloads.
Talks
Talks resumed last week after GMB received an encouraging letter from the council, which is understood to state an extra refuse vehicle and crew will be made available to the workers on a trial basis until autumn 2014 in order to address the problems.
Mark Turner, GMB branch secretary, said: We are withdrawing from the threat of any industrial action. Our intention is to hold further meetings so in the short-term there will be no strike. The terms were agreeable we have moved and they have moved in their position so we do not need to push the button.
Last summer, the council came under criticism from angry residents when lengthy bin strikes left Brighton city centre a bomb site.
The industrial action was spearheaded by GMB the union which represents 270 Cityclean workers employed by the council to carry out domestic refuse and recycling collections as well as street cleansing following disagreement over a modernised pay and conditions package for workers.
At the time, GMB claimed that the revision would see cuts of up to 4,000 a head from some of the councils lowest paid employees.
Register for free to comment