Staff at Mid Ulster District Council have faced abuse both in person at council offices and online since the beginning of a workers’ strike last week, the council has said.
The month-long industrial action began on Monday, August 1 and affects a number of council services, including bin collections. A council spokesperson has said staff have received abuse by some residents who have not had their bin collected.
The Council’s four party leaders, Councillor Cathal Mallaghan, Councillor Paul McLean, Councillor Mark Glasgow and Councillor Malachy Quinn issued a joint statement asking for residents to be respectful when dealing with staff in person, on the phone, by email or via social media.
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“We understand the frustration and anger that many residents feel about the industrial action, which we know is having a severe impact on our bin collection services and also affecting our leisure provision,” the statement said.
“While the vast majority of customers are pleasant, there are some who are rude and abusive which is completely unacceptable.
“Before anyone shouts or swears at a member of our staff, we ask that they stop and think: if this was your son, daughter, wife, husband, brother or sister, and they were at work, doing their jobs to the best of their ability, how would you feel about them being on the receiving end of rude and aggressive behaviour or foul language?
“All our staff deserve to be treated with respect at all times, but particularly so when they are working to manage a very challenging situation which is not of their making”.
The industrial action comes as a result of a pay dispute between the council and UNITE the Union. The dispute has yet to be resolved.
A council spokesperson said it is continuing to collect as many bins as it can with the staff they have available.
“We’re continuing to collect as many bins as possible with the staff we have available and the number we are able to empty differs from day to day.
“For example, this week we have been able to get hundreds of additional bins which we hadn’t reached last week. We aim to continue this approach, adding extra capacity where we can, and so are asking our residents to continue to leave their bins out on their normal collection days.”
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