(February 2010) EPSU has updated previous research on the European Waste sector. Two papers are now available: Waste companies in Europe; and Waste Management in Europe: framework, trends and issues. Both papers give an overview of recent developments in corporate policy and in European Union policies (...).
(21 January 2010) Absence of a decent social clause in public contracts remains a problem for thousands of waste workers in the European Union. That was the conclusion of a discussion between trade union representatives from SITA (...
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(30 November 2009) The economic and financial crisis has not missed its impact on the waste sector. Waste volumes have dropped leading to restructuring, delayed or cancelled investments, plant closures and job losses. When contracting out waste services, municipalities often care more about the lowest price then about quality, decent pay and conditions. However, caring for the environment and public health go hand in hand with quality of jobs and a high level of health and safety in the (...)
Update: (18 November 2009)
The Italian unions organizing in the waste sector including EPSU affiliate CGIL-FP achieved a major success in their protest against the reforms of the government in the waste sector, 18 November 2009. With total or near stoppages of work in all regions, the unions are giving a strong signal to the government that the restructuring and privatization of the waste sector and companies does not have the support of workers.
Italian unions announce national strike (...)
(30 June 2009) The Council of Ministers for the Environment adopted conclusions on the Green Paper on Bio-waste. EPSU sent a letter to the European Commission to support the conclusions of the Council and in particular the need to consider the social implications of any initiatives on health and safety and employment.
For the letter:
The Council conclusions (in particular point (...)
Workers of SITA, the waste management arm of Gdf-Suez, and organized by EPSU affiliated union UNITE decided to take industrial action following overwhelming support in a ballot. The workers have been operating according to rule and will take the next step 27 May. The conflict is over pay. Since November 2007 workers have not received a pay increase. Management has been delaying a pay agreement since November 2008 and is now arguing that due to the financial crisis it can not afford to pay (...)
(19 January 2009) After many years of campaigning, including ’overtime kills’ and ’black book’ campaigns which demonstrated that wage dumping leads to fatal and other accidents and exploitation Verdi and the employers (private sector and municipal) have now reached agreement over a minimum wage in the waste sector that will apply to all workers also of those employers that are not part of the employers organisation. Germany does not have a legal minimum wage and Verdi and other German (...)
(Brussels, 18 June 2008) The plenary of the European parliament voted on the amendments to the waste directive. It sets tough targets in a number of areas, establishes the waste hierarchy and demands binding national programmes on waste. Waste energy is seen as recovery under strict efficiency rules. Many of the positions reflect the position of EPSU although targets could have been stricter on some categories of waste and waste prevention. EPSU also welcomes that the EP treats hazardous (...)
(14 february 2008) The EEA briefing estimates that volumes of waste will grow. The environmental effects can be dealt with through diverting from landfill to re-use and recycling of waste. It does see a role for incinerator with recovery of heat, but limiting and avoiding waste provides the best opportunities for reducing CO2 emissions from waste. The briefing is avaiable in 26 languages. (...)
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