Unions pushing for pay rises for drivers in waste sector

U.K.

The GMB and Unite trade unions have negotiated a major boost to pay for lorry drivers working in waste services for Plymouth City Council in the South West of England. The re-classification from unskilled to semi-skilled means that the workers will be moved up the pay scale resulting in pay increases of 12.6% for some. The two unions argue that this should have major implications across the sector and are trying to win improvements to pay and conditions for waste workers in other local authorities but are having to resort to industrial action to make progress. A 48-hour strike in Coventry in the West Midlands began on 5 January and further action was planned while a 24-hour strike on 31 December in Eastbourne in South East England was set to be followed by action on 7 and 10 January. Meanwhile, drivers in Carmarthenshire in Wales were out on strike on 5 January in response to the local authority’s failure to abide by an agreement negotiated last year.

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Mar. 19, 2021

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