Biffa staff threaten strike action in living wage row
WASTE MANAGEMENT SOLUTIONS COMPANY’S OFFER OF 1.75 PER CENT IS REJECTED
REFUSE workers at Biffa Leicester have rejected a pay offer from the company with the possibility of strike action if an agreement cannot be reached.
Biffa Leicester is negotiating a pay agreement with its employees after its offer of a 1.75 per cent rise was “overwhelmingly rejected” as it fell “well short” of what staff are calling for.
Staff at the waste management solutions company are requesting a pay rise of 3 per cent and a commitment from Biffa that it will become a living wage employer.
Biffa has said it aims to offer staff a living wage by 2030, but this is not soon enough for the employees.
Jim Clarke, regional organiser for GMB, the union supporting the workers, said: “Key workers can’t pay their bills with claps and no key worker should be earning less than the real living wage of £9.50 in 2021.
“These workers keep Leicester clean and worked day after day throughout the Covid-19 pandemic. Our members are calling on Biffa to do the right thing and come back to the table with an offer that reflects the work these GMB members do.”
Mr Clarke said attempts to negotiate with the company have now stalled, so a decision needs to be made by the workers on whether they want to strike.
However, a spokesman for Biffa said: “We are committed to finding an agreed resolution and we will be continuing pay talks with our employees and their representatives.”
A spokesman for the council said: “Biffa’s staff have shown tremendous resilience and commitment throughout the pandemic which has helped keep weekly waste and recycling collections in Leicester running smoothly during very challenging times.
“The council is in contact with Biffa about this issue. However, it remains a matter between Biffa and its workforce, which we hope can be resolved amicably.”