(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 waste sector, say Europe’s waste unions. The level of industrial action is high as workers resist employers seeking to force wage freezes, wage cuts and more onerous working schemes on workers. One of the main concerns of the unions is therefore that public contracts should also include social clauses that ensure that both the public authorities (often municipalities) and the contractors respect decent pay and conditions. Further work will be undertaken.
Mr. Bartoz Zambrzycki, representing DG Environment, presented the ongoing reflection on a possible Bio-Waste Directive, indications from the impact assessment and discussed with participants the possible impact on jobs and health and safety. The unions underlined the importance of the link between high level of health and safety and public health and protection for the environment in this sector.
Mrs. Patricia Pedelabat, DG employment, presented the results of the European Commission study on the Future of Jobs and Skills and in particular the relevant sections for the waste sector. The results of the study might be useful for the employers and the trade unions to consider together.
Dave Hall, PSIRU, University of Greenwich, presented two reports on the European Waste Industry. He first provided an overview of the different European Waste Policies and current debates over procurement, remunicipalisation and the lack of academic evidence to prove that the private sector would do a better and more efficiency job then the public sector. Participants made clear with stark examples how private companies win contracts by slashing pay and conditions. He then presented an overview of the main private sector waste companies. A relatively small number dominate the sector. Several companies were considered to create a European Works Council.
Richard Pond presented the work of EPSUCOB@ and the information on pay and conditions in the waste sector. A survey will be send out to complete the picture and obtain a firm overview of industrial relations in the sector. The combination of data on pay and conditions, trends on profits and company data will give unions a deeper understanding of the sector.
Michael Crosby of the Amsterdam office of the US Change to Win union group was a special guest to the waste conference. A lively discussion took place around organizing and recruiting new workers against the background of a drop in membership and the financial and economic crisis.
Catch phrases
- Research the sector: “understanding the market”
- Concentrate on a sector: focus organising also on the competitors – “trigger agreements”
- “Theory of organising”: workers do believe it is rational to join a union if not discouraged by the employer
- Focus on a limited target
- Strengthen organising skills
- Consider the importance of public opinion
- Workers and union structure in the work place
Peter Lovkvist and Knut Otter of Swedish Transport Workers gave an overview of recent health and safety research which demonstrates that waste collection workers experience continuous high strain during the working day. With an older work force the risks are high that workers will not reach the retirement age in a health manner.
The meeting was chaired by EPSU Deputy General Secretary Jan Willem Goudriaan. The waste conference took place 26-27 November 2009 and received financial support from a European Commission funded project.
- Log in to post comments
