A bin collector strike, which could see hundreds of thousands of Manchester homes affected, is being decided by vote. Around 200 refuse workers begin balloting today, March 29, on industrial action for a pay rise.
The bin collectors, employed by outsourced waste management company Biffa, are taking part in the vote ending on April 12. The strike, should it go ahead, could affect some 220,000 homes.
Biffa workers are demanding a pay rise from their employer. They are asking for an increase in wages above the 1.75 per cent that local government received for 2021, says the GMB Union.
The bin strike ballot opens today despite extensive negotiations where Biffa has refused to increase its offer, according to the union. It says Biffa is a private company and therefore is not bound by public sector pay restraint policies.
The workers - who are members of both GMB and Unite unions – include drivers, loaders and environmental operatives. Despite its commercial waste operation being heavily affected by the Covid pandemic and several lockdowns, Biffa remains highly profitable and recorded pre-tax profits of £26 million last year, says GMB.
Michael Clark, GMB Regional Organiser, said: “Today, GMB members begin voting on whether Manchester's bin strike will go ahead. The city’s refuse collectors have worked throughout the pandemic, doing a dirty, difficult job keeping the streets clean.
“All they want is a pay rise to help them battle the biggest fall in living standards for 50 years. Biffa can put a stop to this and avoid disruption for more than 200,000 homes – just make a reasonable pay offer we can put to our members – rather than trying to force a real terms pay cut on them.”
A Biffa spokesperson has said: "We will be continuing discussions with the trade unions and are committed to reaching a solution as quickly as possible."
