When Rishi Sunak U-turned on the government’s net zero policies last week, among the nonexistent proposals “scrapped” was the imposition of seven different recycling bins on households. Yet, roughly five miles east of the Downing Street press conference, it didn’t matter how many bins you had – strike action by Tower Hamlets refuse workers meant that none were being collected. After mountains of rubbish grew taller than the borough’s residents, Unite reached a deal this week securing a one-off £750 payment and the in-housing of agency workers on full council terms and conditions.
Workers in this London borough may have reached an agreement, but other picket lines are cropping up at bin depots across the country. For those employed directly by councils, the latest round of strikes is in response to the local authority employers’ offered pay increase of £1,925 for the year. Unite currently has a mandate for industrial action at 14 local authorities that employ refuse workers, including Darlington, Ipswich and Warrington. In Wales, strikes are ongoing at Cardiff and Wrexham councils, with scores more workers waiting in the wings. The GMB is balloting council workers in England and Wales on strike action, with the vote closing on 24 October.
