WITH bin strike action now entering its second week Warrington Borough Council has rejected Union calls to negotiate locally about a national issue.
The strike over pay started on Tuesday 3 October and is due to end on Monday 16 October with the Unite Union not ruling out further action.
The 50 plus workers in Warrington have rejected the national pay offer of a flat rate increase of £1,925. The offer is below the rate of inflation and amounts to a real terms pay cut.
The national bargaining agreement for local government sets out minimum standards but local authorities can agree better terms and conditions for workers if they wish.
A total of 23 local authorities have voted for industrial action in the dispute which will escalate next month and throughout the autumn.
Unite regional officer, Brian Troake said: “Our members have suffered a 25 per cent cut to their wages in real terms over the last 13 years.
“This dispute is entirely of the council’s own making. Warrington council’s leadership team need to stop hiding behind the national pay negotiations and meet with Unite to resolve this dispute.”
A Warrington Borough Council spokesperson said: “Our annual pay award for council employees is negotiated at a national level, and the strike action by UNITE members in Warrington and other areas of the UK is part of a national pay dispute. UNITE members are not striking about local conditions.
“We are committed to working with and listening to our recognised Trade Unions, but it is clearly not appropriate for us to try and negotiate locally just with UNITE in response to the pay claim that they made collectively with other Trade Unions on a national basis.”
Prior to the national strike action, the council had advised that disruption was likely to be minimal!
In the meantime residents are advised to:
• Flatten any household waste before putting it in the bin.
• Talk to neighbours about sharing bin space so all bins are filled
• If you have the space and your bin is full, keep your recycling waste indoors
• Take waste to a community recycling centre:
• Woolston and Gatewarth now open 8am-6pm, Monday to Sunday
• Sandy Lane now open 10am-4pm, Monday to Sunday
