UPDATE: Wealden Bin Strike Ends In Seventh Week With Massive Pay Deal For Workers

GMB union members have accepted an improved pay offer to end the refuse strike within Wealden District Council - and the council have provided updated information on collections.

Their employer Biffa’s latest pay offer will constitute a pay rise of more than 27 per cent for some workers. 

The total value of the settlement is worth between 24 and 27 per cent, depending on which job they do. 

Kerbside collections within Wealden will recommence from tomorrow (Wednesday). 

The strike ends after six weeks and two days of action which garnered many messages of support and solidarity from local residents. 

Gary Palmer, GMB Regional Organiser said: 

“Our members have successfully earned themselves a massive pay rise, but this is simply just reward for the demanding and very important job that they do every day. 

“Refuse collection is one of the most visible services that a council provides, but it’s also one of the most unappreciated until it stops. 

“We would like to thank the residents of Wealden for their messages of solidarity and support throughout this lengthy dispute. 

“This is a massive pay deal and it is testament to their determination and drive of the members, but this journey can be started in any workplace and by any resolute workforce, with the help of the GMB union.”

Collection information:

Today (Wednesday 15^th June):

While the bin lorries and crews are being reintegrated to their regular depots, the following services will be operating in full or in part: 

• Rubbish collection rounds in the south of the District are due to operate in Lower Willingdon, Polegate, Part of Hailsham, Ripe, Chalvington, Laughton, Wannock, Selmeston and Golden Cross. Also properties collected using a narrow access vehicle due a rubbish collection this week will be emptied, although this may occur on the scheduled day or a day later. Please put your rubbish bin out if you are due a collection that day.
• All scheduled rubbish collection rounds in the north of the District are operating.
• If your road is not emptied please leave it in place as efforts are being made to catch up on missed rubbish collections. 
• Other services, including clinical waste and sharps box collections, bulky waste collections, bin deliveries and street litter bin and dog waste bin emptying, are operating as normal

Tomorrow (Thursday 16^th June):

All scheduled rubbish recycling and garden waste collections will be resuming 

• If you are due a collection of rubbish, recycling or garden waste on Thursday 16^th June please place your bin out for collection as normal.  
• If you are unsure which bin you are due to have collected or on what dates your collections are, please use the bin day search on our website at www.wealden.gov.uk Enter your postcode and select your address to see your bin collection days or download a collection calendar.
• While the crews will be working hard to complete each collection round every day, to begin with it may be they are unable to finish some rounds.  Please be assured that if your road is not collected on the scheduled day, they will be returning to finish before they move onto the next day’s work.  For this reason, if your road is not emptied please leave the bin out ready for collection.
• Please note that on your first scheduled collection the amount of rubbish, recycling or garden waste that can be removed by the crews is limited so they may not be able to remove some or all the extra waste if bags are placed next to the bin.  At this time Biffa are working to ensure as many households as possible receive at least a collection of the contents of the bins however, as the catch up work progresses reasonable amounts of excess waste will be collected.
• Other services, including clinical waste and sharps box collections, bulky waste collections, bin deliveries and street litter bin and dog waste bin emptying, are operating as normal