Striking Bristol binmen take protest to council
Striking Bristol binmen have taken their pay dispute to the doors of the Council House.
More than 100 refuse drivers, loaders and street cleaners working for city council waste contractor Sita marched up the ramps to demand a five per cent pay rise.
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Yesterday was the third one-day strike since protests began last Friday.
Another strike is planned for Monday, with negotiations between Unite and Sita due to reopen on Tuesday.
Black wheelie bins, brown food waste bins and street cleaning are all affected.
More than 270 staff working for Sita are protesting at an offer of a 2.75 per cent pay increase made by Sita management. The money to pay the increase would come from the city council.
Workers want five per cent, which they say is owed from November last year when inflation and cost of living were at about 4.5 per cent.
Binmen in neighbouring South Gloucestershire are not involved in the strike because they have a separate contract, agreed in January last year.
Their two-year deal awarded them a 3.75 per cent increase for 2008 and a four per cent increase in 2009.
Pam Jennings, regional organiser for Unite, said: "We came here to bring the dispute to a wider audience and to the general public.
"To all those people who think that asking for five per cent is greedy, please bear in mind that Sita, according to its 2007 accounts, made more than £16 million profit."
Among the demonstrators was Luke Hopkins, a 24-year-old brown bin box loader from Withywood.
Mr Hopkins said: "If we back down now we aren't going to get anything at all. Sita will be able to do this every year and it won't change in the future."
Dave Swire, general manager at Sita UK, said: "We hope that colleagues will reconsider our offer and call off the strike, so we can get back to fully serving the people of Bristol."
Simon Caplan, spokesman for Bristol City Council, said: "This is not a dispute against the city council, but between Sita, its workers and the union.
"It is for Sita to justify their pay award and Unite their pay claim. The council's sole goal is to keep the service running and ensure we catch up on strike days.
"Residents have been very reasonable and patient, and they understand that the council is not in control of the situation.
"We are working very hard to make sure Sita management catches up and resolves the dispute as quickly as possible."
For refuse collection dates call 0117 922 2100.
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by Rob, Bedminster
Sunday, May 31 2009, 10:00AM
“Shonegar, you make some absolutely spot on responses, I did like your reference to this point about earning in relation to SITA's ability to pay, because you are bang on that it doesn't and wouldn't work the other way when they come to re-negotiate a recession based real terms cut in the contract. These guys would still want their full pay.
I didn't know that about nurses; I have first hand experience of Bristol's nurses looking after my old man in intensive care, and you could not encounter a more professional, more dedicated, and harder working bunch of people. You could never pay them enough, but who knows what would happen if they ever striked. Thankfuly SOME people have some sense of bloody perspective and responsibility!”
by Shonegar, Bristol
Sunday, May 31 2009, 9:19AM
“It is worth noting that for 2008/09 nurses only got a pay rise of 2.75% (which is what the binmen are being offered) and many nurses have a lower wage than binmen. Nurses will only get a total of 8% over three years yet the binmen seem to believe they deserve 5% in just one year. Given the job nurses do, the studying they have to have, etc,etc, they are far more deserving than the binmen. Given the current economic climate the binmen should be grateful they are employed at all.
I also noticed a rather facetious argument from the binmen the other day that their pay should be linked to the companies ability to pay. Does this mean that when the company is performing less well that they will take a pay cut?
They do not seem to be taking into account that the flow of money from the council is very unlikely to continue at the current rate. As economic realities hit the council they will be forced to renegotiate contracts with their suppliers and this will mean downwards. It could well lead to others being given the opportunity to tender then the current binmen could well be out of a job.
Although I do not always agree with the behaviour of larger companies, in this case SITA making savings against the future and giving workers and approrpaite (and to most people generous) settlement and putting aside funds for the rainy days which we know are on the horizon is an excellent idea and will ensure that these ungrateful binmen remain employed during the funding cuts which are almost guaranteed over the next couple of years.”
by rob, Bristol
Saturday, May 30 2009, 4:01PM
“I do like the way that these people are defended, sentences like 'they do a hard job in all weather' or 'the stuff they have to deal with' etc etc.
I know a few friends that have been recently made reduntant that would jump at the chance to earn the money these employees are on.
Get back to work, accept Sitas offer and go for your payrise when the economy rises you slackers.”
by Mark, Bristol
Saturday, May 30 2009, 1:05PM
“Lazy, ignorant and many other words describe these workshy fops.
I would hope that you are being docked money and the extra hours you need to put in to clear the rubbish are not paid at overtime rate.
Striking again on Monday when the Union is not due to talk to SITA until Tuesday, bully boy tactics by the union.
Muppets.
GET BACK TO WORK”
by steve, Bristol
Saturday, May 30 2009, 12:12PM
“paul your living in the dark ages they get a good weeks wages already and the council arent to blame this time as sita is a private company if anybody is to blame go back to the 80s and maggie thatcher for making the local councils privatise everything if anybody offerd me a job on the bins id do it no problem”