Bin strikes loom for Gosport
Staff could walkout in the New Year
Gosport’s waste contractor has responded to accusations of intimidation and bullying from the GMB union after it balloted for strike action.
Gosport Borough Council’s waste contractor Urbaser Ltd has received strike ballot notices from GMB, the union representing refuse, recycling and street service workers.
Charlotte Gardner, GMB regional organiser, said its members are some of the “lowest paid” in the waste sector on the south coast and wants lorry drivers to be paid £15 an hour and other staff £12.
“They have had enough of being exploited by a national company intent on making profit off their hard work,” she added.
“Just like all exploited workers, they can no longer afford to live on what they earn and are simply asking for a fair rate of pay.
“It’s time for Urbaser to do the right thing and pay the going rate to their workers – £15 per hour for HGV drivers and £12 for all other operatives.
“This is the minimum going rate and as far as our members are concerned, the work in Gosport is just as hard, dirty and dangerous as that being carried out anywhere else.
“If management ignores us, or even worse tries to bully or intimidate staff into not standing up for themselves, GMB will not hesitate to support our members through any action until they get what they so thoroughly deserve.”
The strike ballot opens between November 13-27, if members vote to strike the borough’s Wilmott Lane Depot will be disrupted.
In response, an Urbaser spokesperson said the company is “committed” to providing “fair compensation” to employees and had made an offer.
“To this end, we continually monitor industry standards and conduct regular reviews of our pay structures.
“We take the concerns of our employees seriously and fully understand the importance of their contributions to our operations and the communities we serve.
“We have therefore already made an offer that we consider to be reasonable and aligned with rates paid across the industry, and specifically for the waste sector on the South Coast.
“We strongly refute any suggestion of exploitation or intimidation. Our management team will never condone such actions, and we firmly believe in resolving issues through respect, understanding, and collective negotiation.”
Gosport Borough Council was approached for comment.