There will be a ‘long hot stinking summer in Bexley’ as new Serco bin strikes mean rubbish will remain uncollected into August, Unite, the UK’s leading union, said today.
Around 140 workers, who are members of Unite, began striking over pay and other issues on 12 July, with the current round of strike action ending this Sunday (25 July).
Unite has announced that the strike will resume on Monday morning (26 July) and continue until Sunday 1 August, with more strikes dates set to be announced.
The workers will hold daily pickets outside the Thames Road refuse depot in Crayford (see notes to editors for details). Unite has previously called for an end to ‘heavy handed’ policing at the picket line.
The strikes will continue even though Bexley council has announced that Serco’s contract will not be renewed when it expires in October, with Countrystyle Recycling taking over instead.
The council has pledged that staff on the contract, who will all be transferred from Serco, will be paid at least the London living wage in the future.
Unite has consistently called for Serco to be removed from the contract and for staff, whose rate is £10.25 an hour compared to £13 an hour for workers in Greenwich to be paid properly.
The dispute, however, also centres on Serco’s refusal to pay around 50 staff back wages, with some workers owed thousands of pounds.
This is because the company has for half a decade failed to include refuse staff on a stipulated pay progression scale.
This had led to widespread pay disparities, such as long serving drivers being paid £22,000 a year even when new drivers are recruited on £28,000 a year.
In addition, Unite has accused Serco of victimising union members through the unfair policing of its substance misuse policy, while providing no help or advice for those who may need it.
Unite regional officer Ruth Hydon said: “Serco is determined by its actions to ensure there is a long hot stinking summer in Bexley.
“While it is was about time that Bexley Council got rid of poor performing Serco and our members can look forward to some improvements in their terms and conditions come October, several issues remain unresolved.
“Our members want an immediate end to pay disparities and many are owed tens of thousands in back pay. We will not let Serco or the council skirt round that fact, or its weaponisation of drug testing, until it can walk away from the contract in autumn.
“Bexley council need to get a handle on this and intervene, otherwise rubbish will continue to pile up on the borough’s streets.”
Graeme Waugh, Senior Contract Manager said “It is always our intention to work in partnership with trade unions so we are disappointed the decision to take further strike action has been made while conciliation discussions are ongoing and would urge Unite to reconsider this action. We have prioritised refuse and food waste collections and offer our apologies to any residents whose collections have been missed because of this strike action. Our frontline teams are working exceptionally hard, often beyond their contracted hours, to minimise disruptions to residents and I would like to personally thank each of them for their continued help and support.
Unite has submitted a 10% pay claim in Bexley for 2021 which we believe is out of sync with the current environment. We believe the offer we have made, in the context of pay freezes across the Public Sector and the current economic climate, is a fair and reasonable offer.
There is a small group of employees – no more than 12 – who have raised individual issues about their pay. We have written to each of them offering our formal apology and will pay them any money they are owed in the next payroll run.
With regard to the claim we are operating zero hours contracts, we would like to make it clear that Serco do not employ any staff on zero hours contracts in Bexley.”
