GMB Union members sign off on deal to end Brighton bin strike
It's expected city councillors will do the same in the next few days
Last updated 18th Oct 2021
GMB Union members have agreed a deal that would see the bin strike in Brighton come to an end.
Representatives met this morning following crunch talks yesterday (Sunday 17 October).
A statement from Brighton & Hove City Council says: “We had positive talks yesterday and thank GMB representatives for meeting on a Sunday.
We’re pleased that the formal resolution proposal has this morning been agreed by GMB members and it will now be put forward to the council’s Policy & Resources Committee for ratification in the next few days.”
“We apologise to residents, business and visitors to the city for the disruption during the last few weeks and thank you for your patience.”
Should city councillors do the same in the next few days, then a planned 30 days of strike action beginning on Thursday will be scrapped.
GMB Organiser Gary Palmer said: "It’s certainly a case of well-done GMB members at Cityclean, in standing up collectively to demand and win both respect and fair treatment by their own management team.
The occasional negative comments about their taking industrial action have been far outweighed by the amazing support picketers have received over the 13 days of strike action in both words and actions by those visiting the picket and strikers at the Hollingdean depot.
Once Pay became an issue in the negotiations after being mentioned by the council, HGV drivers were always clear that any regrading exercise and subsequent pay increase on the table always had to be inclusive of all Cityclean workers and not just themselves.
The consequences of that are that once that piece of work is done, it could in effect see a beneficial ripple out throughout all B&H council’s lower grades and result in many more of the councils’ lower paid workers in council areas such as schools, and care, as an example gaining well deserved pay increases across the board."
A break in the strike has already begun today, regardless of the agreement, and is due to last until Wednesday to allow some of the rubbish to be cleared up, with the local authority saying it poses a "significant health and safety risk."