GMB this week announced a new round of strikes by crews in Brighton for 16, 17 and 20 October. The new dates follow a spate of service disruption in the beleaguered city.
The strike dates come as part of an ongoing dispute over an increase in pay for 38 refuse and recycling charge hand drivers, who currently earn the same amount as six street-cleansing staff on the same grade.
The council is also undertaking a full service redesign, which will include re-evaluation of current job roles and descriptions for drivers.
‘Unwelcome’
Commenting on the latest round of strikes, the council’s executive director for environment, development & housing, Geoff Raw said the action was ‘unhelpful and unwelcome’ and apologised to residents for the disruption.
He said: “We are extremely disappointed by the announcement by the GMB that they are choosing to take part in further industrial action. By choosing to do so, this will undoubtedly lead to further service disruption to our residents for which I am deeply sorry.
“We have, as requested by the GMB, provided them with a clear timescale for a full service redesign, that sets out our commitment to reviewing job roles across the City Clean & Parks service areas. On Wednesday discussions took place between Richard Bradley, Head of City Clean and Katie Ogden, Head of Human Resources and the GMB that actively encouraged the GMB to contribute their thoughts and ideas in to this process. “
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He added: “At a time of significant financial challenge for the Council, this action is unhelpful and unwelcome and we call on the GMB to postpone the action whilst discussions continue”.
Negotiation
Speaking to letsrecycle.com, GMB branch secretary Mark Turner said the union was open to negotiations with the council, but argued it had not been met halfway on its ‘unequivocal’ conditions.
Mr Turner said: “They want to do a service redesign and they want to look at the job descriptions. We have no issue with a reorganisation but what their management is not prepared to do is discuss the aspects of the job descriptions with our members.”
Mr Turner claimed the council had also ‘reneged’ on a previous agreement reached in April to make available an extra collection vehicle and crew on a trial basis until autumn 2014 (see letsrecycle.com story).
The industrial action follows three strike dates announced in September, of two were suspended and the third went ahead.
Meanwhile, two extra collection crews have been assigned by the council to clear refuse from the Fiveways and Hove area, where refuse has gone uncollected for the longest periods of time. A third crew is collecting glass from communal bins.
‘Bomb site’
The stand-off between GMB and the council follows a history of recent strike action, which saw Brighton city centre reduced to a ‘bomb site’ in the summer of 2013 (see letsrecycle.com story).
The trade union body represents 270 Cityclean workers employed by Brighton & Hove city council to carry out domestic refuse and recycling collections as well as street cleansing services.
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