Rubbish ‘skimming’ to increase as Adur and Worthing bin strike rumbles on

Members of the GMB union started their walkout on Monday March 14 and there are still no signs an agreement is close to being reached with Adur and Worthing Councils.

The UK’s industrial dispute mediation service ACAS is at Worthing Town Hall today (Thursday March 31).

Officials are hoping to hold meetings with the GMB and UNISON and also representatives from the councils.

Kevin Jenkins, Conservative leader of Worthing Borough Council, hoped ‘much can be achieved in the spirit of cooperation’ at these meetings.

He claimed they were in a situation of an ‘inter-union turf-war’ in that UNISON had raised issued about the behaviour of the GMB to the Trades Union Congress.

He applauded residents who had taken their refuse to the rubbish tip and was grateful to West Sussex County Council for extending hours at the site, allowing on-the-day bookings and removing any restrictions on the number of visits.

Mr Jenkins added: “Over the past weeks we have employed external small licensed contractors to ‘skim’ rubbish in the most acute places, such as the communal bins in care homes and blocks of flats where the accumulation of rubbish poses a high risk.

“This capacity is being increased and will continue.

“We have also been working with businesses to try and reduce the impact on them, in particular the food and beverage trades with their food waste. Next week we will be escalating into the next phase of our contingency plans and will be establishing a number of community collection points.

“Our priority will start with the town centre, residents who have no external storage and to help keep businesses running. More details will be forthcoming soon. Where practical these will be rolled out wider, but are unlikely to be able to cover all neighbourhoods.”

He believed the offer on table was ‘fair’ and pointed out any settlement reached has to be paid for not by central government, but by local taxpayers.

When it comes to the talks, it is unknown whether UNISON would attend.

A spokesman for the councils said: “It is important to recognise that ACAS is an independent body of mediation experts who we very much hope will be able to help us find a solution to this damaging strike. We have done everything we can to find a way through this dispute which is fairly unique in that an incoming union to a place of work is challenging an existing union for the right to negotiate on pay and conditions.

“We have always respected our staff’s right to join a union of choice but there are guidelines and legal parameters in place on official recognition that simply cannot be ridden roughshod over. We hope we can navigate these difficult waters quickly.”

Yesterday the GMB invited both council officials and UNISON representatives to the picket line in Lancing to talk directly to its members.

It said this would allow other parties the chance to address striking workers and put their case, concerns and requests to a workforce ‘unimpressed with the current deal on the table and with their refusal to meet formally with their union of choice’.

The GMB said formal meetings planned for this week had been cancelled, leaving its members with no access to negotiations.

Gary Palmer, GMB Regional Organiser, said: “We want to address the issues and seek solutions. Our offer to management and Unison to talk to GMB members is made in good faith and in the hope that if other parties feel what they have to say is fair for staff and the service, they will be prepared to stand in front of strikers to give them that information and hopefully take questions which might lead to our members voting to accept the pay offer on the table and returning to work.”

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