Wealden Bin Strike: GMB Announce Extension To Strike Action

Wealden District Council has released an update on the bin strike this morning, stating that the GMB, the union representing refuse workers in Sussex, has rejected their latest offer and will strike until June 25.

Biffa notified the council of GMBs latest action, in a statement: 

“We’re disappointed that the GMB has rejected our improved offer. We enhanced the offer with a proposal for a 2-year deal which included significantly above inflation increases (17% for this year and a minimum of 7% next year, a cash lump sum, and pay parity with the other two councils in the East Sussex contract.)  The offer was made following a constructive day of negotiations facilitated by ACAS and unfortunately members have chosen to continue with strike action. We are working hard to minimise any disruption to service.”

In the meantime, Biffa has been putting in place temporary pop-up waste sites in local towns and villages, to which residents can bring their household rubbish for disposal.

They are asking for only regular household rubbish, with no garden waste, electrical, recycling or other rubbish being accepted.

They say waste can only be brought along while the bin lorry is present (within the timing given below). If it's not there, drop-offs will be considered fly-tipping, with fines and prosecutions for people who leave waste at the site.

The following are details of the next pop-up sites:

Date:            Tuesday 31^st May 2022

Time:           8am to 2pm

Location:     Alfriston, Coach Parking area at The Willows car park off North Street

Post Code:   BN26 5UQ

Date:            Wednesday 1^st June 2022

Time:           8am to 2pm

Location:     Hailsham, Vicarage Lane car park (next to leisure centre)

Post Code:   BN27 2AX

The council says some services will be available today in full or in part as follows:

• Rubbish collections – Approximately half of the rounds scheduled to empty rubbish bins today are working.  Please put your rubbish bin out if you are due a collection today. If it is not emptied please leave it in place for three working days as efforts are being made to catch up on missed rubbish collections.  If its remains uncollected after this, please take it back in and use the link below to our questions and answers to find out what to do.
• Clinical waste and sharps box collections – operating as normal
• Bulky Waste Collections – operating as normal
• Bin deliveries and exchanges – operating as normal
• Street litter bins and dog waste bins – some disruption to services

The following are services that will not be operating today: 

• Approximately half of the rubbish collections (see above)
• Garden Waste Collections
• Recycling Collections

GMB have been posting regular updates of the strike on Twitter, with the latest post this morning:

Still waiting to hear who runs the company the chief exec or the MD this is getting very embarrassing for the company https://t.co/bt79SzycSK

— GMB Sussex Branch (@GMBSussexBranch) May 31, 2022

Yesterday evening they reported another "unnecessary" visit by Sussex Police:

Another day, another unnecessary visit from the police to @Biffa picket line

We & our members not deterred by arrests last week stand firm into 5th week of strike action and continue to encourage Biffa back to the negotiating table

Pls support if you canhttps://t.co/BtUSQU8HYO https://t.co/7aOv2jhEyB pic.twitter.com/kP3qbRKKiP

— GMB Sussex Branch (@GMBSussexBranch) May 30, 2022

More to follow.