Put bins out 'as normal' in Wiltshire
Advice for residents as bin workers suspend strike plan
Wiltshire Council is advising residents to put bins out as normal today (Monday 28 Feb) after planned industrial action by refuse collection workers was suspended.
Some staff at Hills Municipal Collections - the waste contractor for Wiltshire Council - were due to go on strike today. This has now been suspended as the GMB Union considers a new pay offer.
Wiltshire Council is working with Hills Municipal Collections Limited to ensure minimum disruption to waste collection services in the event of any industrial action.
WASTE COLLECTION DAYS CHANGING
In order to make rounds more efficient, help reduce carbon emissions and save more than ÂŁ1.5m over the next five years, the household waste collection days for nearly all Wiltshire properties will change from today, 28 February.
These service changes have been in the planning for many months and well before the recent threat of industrial action, which relates to a pay dispute between Hills and some of its staff, rather than the changes to collection days.
Residents should put their bins out to be emptied by 7am on the new day they have been instructed to do so via a recent letter they were sent. If you are not sure what day your new household waste collection day is, check the Wiltshire Waste collection calendar here and enter your postcode.
It’s only general household waste collection days that will be changing, there is no change to recycling or garden waste collections, which will still take place on their usual day for all residents.
If a bin is not emptied as scheduled because of any issues with the new rounds, residents should leave them out and it’s expected they will be collected the following day where possible.
Cllr Richard Clewer, Leader of Wiltshire Council, said:
“There will always be some teething issues when transitioning to a new collections rounds schedule, but fortunately the industrial action planned for week commencing 28 February has been suspended for now."
“However, if there are any bins not collected as scheduled then we ask people to leave them out and the teams will do their best to collect them the following day."
“We really thank everyone for their patience and understanding during this time and if timings do slip slightly, they can be assured the service schedule will get back on track very quickly.”
STRIKE: THREAT REMAINS
There will now NOT be any industrial action on 28 February, the date that new residual waste collections begin in Wiltshire.
If industrial action does take place in the future, it is likely to cause some disruption to household waste and recycling collection services, however Wiltshire Council and Hills will work to minimise the impact as much as possible.
If there are any significant disruptions to services people should visit Wiltshire Council’s waste pages for updates here or keep an eye on the Wiltshire Council Twitter feed.