Date set Solihull bin strike
The GMB Union has announced dates for the forthcoming refuse strike in Solihull in the West Midlands.
Almost 100 refuse workers will walk out for five days from 28 March.
The GMB Union says Amey Services Limited, which employs the workers, has “offered an insulting pay rise which will increase some workers to the Real Living Wage, with others seeing no increase at all.”
This will impact refuse and recycling services for Solihull metropolitan council, including household waste recycling centres (HWRCs).
Dave Warwick, GMB organiser, said: “Time is running out. Amey has just two weeks to get round the table with GMB Union and stop massive disruption for the people of Solihull.
“A pay rise that means no more than the Real Living Wage for some, and nothing at all for others, is an insult.”
Reconomy makes further acquisition
Reconomy Group has acquired Webb’s Training Services, a provider of commercial training offering over 50 courses across a wide variety of industries.
Headquartered in Birmingham, Webb’s has a network of UK training centres and also delivers courses on customer premises or online.
Categories of training include health and safety, construction, plant operation, manual handling, working at height, first aid, driving, and more.
Webb’s will become part of the Reconomy Group’s ‘Recycle’ division and work alongside the UK brands to deliver accredited training to customers and their staff.
Mark Webb, managing director of Webb’s Training Services, said: “We’re delighted to be joining the Reconomy Group for this next exciting phase in our development.
“We see great opportunities and have a deep understanding of business training needs across all commercial sectors, working with many of Reconomy Group’s customers already.
“Everyone at Webb’s is looking forward to adding value and capability to the group proposition in 2022 and beyond.”
CTR urges more donations for Ukraine
The CTR Group, a Staffordshire-based textile and bric-a-brac recycling company, has appealed for more donations to enable it to make weekly deliveries to the Polish Red Cross to help Ukrainian refugees.
The Uttoxeter-based company said it was undertaking a “determined and sustained effort to get supplies safely to those who need it most.”
CTR is collecting, sorting, and delivering supplies to Poland to help, and wants to make a weekly journey.
In order for this to happen, it is calling on companies and individuals to help by donating new items such as medicines, bandages, gloves, tests, and sleeping bags, among other things.
Mark Fitzgerald, managing director of CTR Group, said: “We had to get involved, we felt like we just had to do something to help.
“As logistics is the backbone of our business, we were perfectly placed to help.
“We already have the contacts, we’re used to dealing with the paperwork and customs, and we can get these donations to the border safely and quickly, to where the Polish Red Cross will take over.”
People can bring donations directly to CTR’s Uttoxeter site at 30 Marchington Industrial Estate, Marchington, Uttoxter, Staffordshire, ST14 8LP, or they can get in touch by calling 01283 820104 or emailing renata@ctrgroup.co.uk.
East Riding bag sorting trial begins
East Riding of Yorkshire council has begun a trial of a bag sorting system for residents’ general waste at its Driffield HWRC.
A sorting table is provided there, with gloves, a litter picker, paper towels and anti-bacterial handwash.
Residents with bags or boxes of waste are encouraged to visit so they can sort through their own waste.
Recycling containers for each type of item are sited next to the table so people do not have to travel across the site to the various skips.
Cllr Chris Matthews, the council’s portfolio holder for environment and climate change, said: “Most people sort their waste before they visit our sites, especially if they have larger items, and they do a great job.
“But some people bring along bags of mixed waste, don’t sort through them, and throw them into the general waste skip instead.
“So we hope residents will take this trial on board and really help us out, as we know this helps to increase recycling.”
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