Refuse workers in Wiltshire and north Somerset in strike action

Thousands of homes will experience disruption to their bin collections if strikes by refuse collectors go ahead in disputes over pay.

The first walkout in Wiltshire on Monday is due to affect 250,000 homes.

The GMB said its members had already been hit by the cost of living crisis. The council's contractor said it had made a further pay offer for review.

Meanwhile in north Somerset nearly 90,000 homes could be affected if bin workers also decide to strike.

In Wiltshire, GMB members who work as refuse operatives, loaders and drivers, agreed to strike in protest at a 2% pay award.

Gary Palmer, GMB organiser, said: "GMB would hope that the residents of Wiltshire support our members as no doubt they are also affected by rising living costs and low pay.

"This strike is completely avoidable with the right pay deal on the table."

The council's contractor, Hills Municipal Collections, said it had put together a further pay offer for the GMB Union to review, together with a request that the proposed industrial action be suspended during the "continuing negotiations".

It added that in the event industrial action did take place it would work with Wiltshire Council in order to minimise disruption.

Almost 100 refuse collectors in north Somerset are being balloted for strikes in protest at a pay offer the GMB said was worth 1.75%, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service. 

The GMB said that members were angry because they believed the offer from North Somerset Council, which set up the North Somerset Environment Company last year, amounted to a "massive real-terms pay cut". 

GMB official Tim Northover said: "Hard-pressed staff are extremely angry about the rubbish pay on offer, particularly in light of the cost-of-living crisis we're all facing.

"At the height of the pandemic our members were being commended - but now it looks like our members have no option but to ballot for industrial action before the council recognise the service they provide."

The union accused the council of "dragging its heels" after it requested a better offer, but a North Somerset Council spokesperson said the offer was in line with the rest of the public sector, adding: "We believe that North Somerset Environment Company has acted fairly."

"In the event of industrial action, we have plans in place to minimise disruption as much as we can. We would also update our website with information about affected services," the spokesperson said.

The ballot for north Somerset closes on 4 March.

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