Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead facing bin strike
GMB union members will walk out from 31 August to leave the Queen and her neighbours’ bins unemptied
GMB, the union for refuse collectors, has announced members working in the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead (RBWM) will strike from 31 August.
The union members, who work for the council’s waste contractor Serco, will be taking action until their employer offers an improved pay offer.
The present rate of pay for refuse loaders is £9.91 per hour and even with the 6 per cent offer which has been rejected by members, still sits below the rates paid by neighbouring authorities.
Workers at Biffa and Veolia in the local area are paid closer to £12 per hour, while those employed directly by Slough Borough Council earn £11.24 per hour and enjoy a better package of terms and conditions.
Nikki Dancey, GMB Regional Officer, said:
“This is one of the most expensive areas in the country to live and this pay offer neither reflects that, nor the current rate of inflation, or the attached cost-of-living crisis.
"Increasing numbers of Serco workers are being forced into claiming benefits and using food banks to survive, and this will only worsen as we head towards winter.
“If other local authorities and their contractors can afford to pay between £11 and £12 per hour for their refuse loaders, so can Serco in RBWM.
“The strike will be going ahead from 31 August and the workers don't plan to return until they are offered a decent pay rise which reflects the vital work they do every day.
“There is still time though for Serco to avoid any inconvenience to local residents – which of course may include the Queen – by tabling a sensible pay offer and not one that leaves our members comparatively far worse off than they were last year.”
