Waste workers employed by Birmingham City Council, the largest local authority in England, have won a new deal that will protect the pay of workers who were threatened with the loss of thousands of pounds in pay. The deal was negotiated by the Unite trade after a long-running dispute and industrial action. Meanwhile 3300 energy and ancillary workers organised by the GMB trade union at the Sellafield nuclear facility in North West England took a day's strike action on 29 November to secure better pay deals in two separate negotiations covering directly employed and outsourced workers. In another nuclear industry pay dispute, workers organised by the Prospect trade union at the Dounreay site in Northern Scotland will be balloted for possible action over pay.
Waste workers win pay dispute while energy workers take strike action
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Council waste workers win pay dispute
After 12 weeks on strike, 300 workers at Leeds City Council’s refuse collection department have decided to return to work following guarantees by the council that their pay would not be cut. The council had threatened to cut pay by up to £6,000 a year for some employees. This was the council’s response to an equal pay claim and rather than increase pay rates for women, the council had wanted to cut the pay of the male dominated refuse collection service. [Read more at > UNISON (EN)->http://www.unison.org.uk/asppresspack/pressrelease_view.asp?id=1657] [And at > GMB (EN)->http://www.gmb.org.uk
Waste workers take action on pay and conditions
Members of the STAL trade union took strike action on 12 December in the Tratolixo inter-municipal waste company that covers four local authorities near Lisbon. Meanwhile STAL members in the Resinorte and Resiestrela waste companies (part of the EGF group) are planning strike action on 26 and 27 December. In both cases the union is pushing for respect for collective bargaining, an increase in pay and improvements in working conditions. At Tratolixo the demands include implementation of the 35-hour week, 25 days' annual leave and an allowance to take account of risky and onerous working
Pay victory for waste workers as other disputes continue
Strike action by waste workers employed by Eastbourne council in South East England has helped secure a new pay deal which includes a minimum rise this year of 11% and a guarantee that the hourly rate will reach a minimum of £13.50 (€16.20) per hour in April 2023 – a 19% rise in total. Strike action could be on the cards in nearby Adur and Worthing, where a consultative ballot revealed more than 90% in favour of action over pay. In Carmarthen in Wales action by lorry drivers has brough the local authority back to the negotiating table while waste workers in Coventry in Central England are