Sheffield bin strike - workers vote to strike permanently and more weekend collections planned

Refuse collectors in Sheffield will be on strike all day, every day until their pay dispute with their employer, waster management company Veolia is resolved, says GMB Union.

Refuse collectors across Sheffield downed tools yesterday, November 8, in anger at a below inflation pay offer from Veolia – which they say amounts to a real terms pay cut.

Union bosses say that prior to the industrial action, Veolia spent vast sums for agency staff to try and break the strike.

Lee Parkinson, GMB Organiser, said: “Veolia needs to stop opening the cheque book trying to break this strike using out of town labour and get back to the table to negotiate an end to this dispute.

“The council can order that now and need to if they want to avoid this battle turning into a war.”

Notice has been served on the employer that from November 22 workers will strike all day very day until the dispute is resolved.

More than 200,000 homes across the city could be affected by the industrial action.

In late October, Sheffield City Council assured people that any disruption to bin collections from the planned strike would be 'kept to a minimum'. Veolia said additional crews will be working throughout the week to minimise disruption to Sheffield residents following the strike action.

However, it is expected that the strike will continue every Monday until a new pay agreement with Veolia is reached.

Sheffield residents should leave their bin out until it is collected, if it has not been emptied on Monday or Tuesday.

Collections will take place again this weekend for bins that would usually be emptied on Monday November 15.