Union fury over bin change plans
UNION leaders have r amp e d u p t h e i r opposition to bin changes in the north east of the city.
GMB Scotland bosses are calling on Glasgow City Council to rethink plans to roll out a new refuse service next month, which will now see general waste collected every three weeks and glass every eight weeks.
The local authority believes the changes will drive up recycling levels in the likes of Mount Vernon and Garrowhill.
Glasgow GMB chiefs say the move is little more than a “cost cutting exercise” after they received nearly 1000 responses to a survey opposing the switch.
“GMB Scotland is completely opposed to these changes as it will mean further cuts to jobs and services,” a spokesman said. “We are not opposed to investment in additional services required to improve and encourage recycling in the city.
“This must come through additional investment and not through cuts to existing services. Glasgow’s refuse and cleansing services are already massively overstretched, underfunded and unable to meet the city’s needs without serious investment.
“Our members have worked throughout lockdown and continue to go above and beyond in order to maintain the city’s streets and back courts.”
The changes will initially be enforced in the north east before being rolled out in the West End and Southside in due course.
Official statistics show Glasgow trails its rivals across Scotland in how little rubbish it reuses with more than 167,502 tonnes being sent to landfill.
Councillor Anna Richardson, city convener for sustainability and carbon reduction, said: “Far too much waste that could easily be recycled is going to landfill or is being reprocessed at far too high a cost to the taxpayer.
“An aluminium can or plastic drinks bottle is the wrong bin ultimately means money lost for the tax payer. Dumping food waste, paper, cardboard or glass in the general bin is like chucking money away as it is much more expensive to process general waste.”
To fill in the survey, visit here: https:// tinyurl. com/ y4hkrmsz
It will mean further cuts to Glasgow jobs