Refuse collectors return to strike as Acas talks falter
REFUSE workers employed by Amey who began a 20-day walkout last week over a pay dispute have returned to the picket lines after their action was temporarily halted for talks to take place.
The GMB union said on Monday after leaving negotiations at the conciliation service Acas that its members would continue their action with more talks scheduled for tomorrow (Thursday).
According to the GMB Southern website, Paul Grafton, GMB regional officer, said on Monday: “This is hugely disappointing. GMB entered these talks in good faith, with our members prepared to compromise.
“Having paused the strike action today in order to facilitate an atmosphere of conciliation, we needed Amey to respond in kind. Sadly for the local residents of Elmbridge and Surrey Heath, Amey didn’t turn up with the same intentions.
“The discussions today were high on filibuster and low on solution seeking. Negotiation is about being pragmatic and GMB members were prepared to move their position and seek compromise. We will return to the talks on Thursday with an open mind and need Amey to do the same. In the meantime the strike is back on.”
The News & Mail’s online sister publication SurreyLive reported last week how some bins were already overflowing just three days into the strike, while a video emerged on Twitter appearing to show a member of the picket line at Amey’s depot being arrested by police.
The GMB announced on Thursday that it had agreed to hold talks at Acas in a bid to end the impasse with Amey. The strike has affected homes in Surrey Heath and Elmbridge, in Surrey, after the union rejected a revised pay offer. Collections have still gone ahead as scheduled in the other Surrey boroughs of Mole Valley and Woking with Unite members accepting the offer.
Picket lines at Amey’s Surrey Heath and Elmbridge depots stopped refuse lorries from leaving last week, causing a delay in people’s bins being collected.
Surrey Heath borough councillor Paul Deach confirmed on Monday last week there had been “significant disruption to services with a period where no refuse or recycling bins were being collected.
“This is because the unions prevented the refuse and recycling vehicles from leaving the depot,” Cllr Deach said, adding: “This has been very frustrating as most of the Amey drivers and loaders were available for work today. As the GMB Union were trespassing the police attended to deal with the situation this morning, and as a result this has now been resolved. I can confirm that the Amey vehicles and staff did manage to get out working.”
Amey last week welcomed the GMB’s decision to meet at Acas and the union said Amey employees would return to work on Monday “as a sign of goodwill”.
Mr Grafton, added: “GMB are keen to see our members receive the pay award they deserve and a swift settlement of the dispute. However, if talks break down members will return to picket lines [on] Tuesday morning and we will not hesitate to issue more strike dates if we do not see progress at Acas.
“These are some of the lowest paid workers in one of the wealthiest parts of the country. They provide a vital service and are proud of what they do. Most have been offered £11.13 an hour (£434 a week) and are battling to be paid enough to support themselves and their families against a backdrop of rapidly rising prices, while Amey made tens of millions of pounds in profits.”
On one street in Frimley Green visited by SurreyLive last Wednesday, bins had been due for collection on Monday last week but that did not happen. Adrian, a resident on the street, said he was still hopeful that the rubbish might be collected by the end of last week
“I think it’s a bit of a shame that they [the GMB workers] decided to strike in the middle of the summer,” he said. “It’s a time of the year when rubbish breaks down and smells worse. I’ve spoken to the neighbours and everyone’s a bit disappointed that the rubbish is sitting outside their houses.”
In nearby Mytchett there were also a lot of bins left out on the street that seemed full, with some having additional rubbish stacked next to them. However, a worker in a local newsagents said that some collections had still been taking place.
She said: “My food waste was collected a day late but otherwise I haven’t noticed any difference yet.
“My main collection day is next Monday so I’m waiting to see if that will happen. I think the bin men do a damn good job – they always get a Christmas box from me.”
Surrey County Council advised residents whose bins needed emptying that they could visit one of 15 recycling centres in the county to dispose of rubbish if their bins were overflowing. Residents were warned of the need to take a proof of address and that they should be prepared for security cameras to capture their car’s number plate.