Bin men eye strike action in pay dispute - as union warns rubbish could build up in the streets

The strike notices and industrial action – which includes potential slow-downs – represent the climax of several months’ worth of turbulence related to bin collections in Amber Valley.

Bin collections across the country have been disrupted for months due to a variety of reasons, leading to thousands of bin collections missed, with rubbish piling up in some areas.

Services have been hit by Covid-related staff absence and a lack of training due to lockdown periods, while Brexit has hit the supply of European labour and low salaries have seen drivers and collection staff leaving.

The combination of these issues has been keenly felt in Amber Valley, which runs its bin collections through a joint company – Amber Valley Norse – in partnership with Norfolk Council subsiduary Norse.

Garden waste collections have been suspended for two months, but are set to restart on September 27.

The council said the disruptions had been caused by staffing shortages, as well as the closure of the council’s waste transfer station in Somercotes.

At a meeting this week, Coun Trevor Ainsworth, cabinet member for the environment, apologised for the delays and ‘inconvenience’ caused to residents.

He said a large number of staff were off work long-term, for health issues other than Covid, while the transfer station will reopen on Monday.

Coun Ainsworth said Amber Valley Norse had lost three drivers to rivals in what he described as a competitive market for HGV drivers, but had recruited three replacements to fill the gaps.

He said the council and Norse were looking at ways to retain staff, but could not promise there would not be any further disruption.

In relation to industrial action, a spokesman for union GMB said: “Multiple factors have led to this result, which comes after weeks of attempts by employee representatives to find a resolution to issues raised by refuse workers.

“Management’s failure to offer a fair pay deal, after a year of working above and beyond on the part of these key workers, has been the final straw.”

Industrial action

Mick Coppin, GMB regional organiser, said: “This disruption could lead to waste and household rubbish building up.

“Industrial action by refuse workers can have a huge impact on household waste collection and lead to rubbish collections delayed and waste piling up, that’s why this is always a last resort.

“The result of this ballot goes some way to showing the depth of feeling by a large group of Derbyshire’s key workers – people who kept our communities safe and clean throughout the pandemic.

“Company management needs to seriously consider what is at stake here and get around the table with an offer of fair pay.”

An Amber Valley Norse spokesman said: “We will continue to do all we can to negotiate a reasonable and achievable pay increase for our staff, that reflects the hard work they do and our appreciation of their efforts.

“This must, as expected, be set against increased pressures on all council budgets, compounded by the effects of Covid-19.

“We remain hopeful we can still achieve an agreement in the coming days.”

Amber Valley Norse said a strike could affect 10,000 households.

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