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In another blow to the Tory government’s record on industrial relations, east London bin men are now going on strike. Rubbish collectors in the borough of Newham have announced week-long industrial action, ending on September 3.
A spokesman for the Unite union, which represents the workers involved, said: ‘What we’re asking for locally is a payment of 10 percent of normal wages and that’s to take account of various pay freezes that have happened to refuse workers over a period of time. They are among the lowest paid on Newham Council and they generally live in and around London, which is pretty expensive to do. There has been a bit of feeling building up since the pandemic that they were out in all circumstances doing that job and they don’t feel they’ve been recognised for it.’
Newham Council has apparently offered the bin men between 7.8 percent and 9.9 percent. However, the workers, who earn just £22,850 a year, say that this is not enough to address the spiralling inflation of the cost-of-living crisis.
The strike, if it goes ahead, will follow other industrial action that has crippled the capital this year, with several bus, train and tube strikes. Now life for Newham residents is about to properly stink.
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