Refuse and cleansing workers in Breckland and North Norfolk have announced another week of strikes for fair pay, says UNISON today.
Staff working for contractor Serco will strike from 11 to 14 April. They previously walked out from 13 to 17 March after the company failed to come up with a decent pay offer during months of negotiations.
That strike hit bin collections, street cleaning, grounds maintenance and toilet cleansing across Breckland and North Norfolk, although Serco skewered its claims that a rise was unaffordable by spending a fortune on agency strikebreakers and dishing out £100 gift vouchers to those who crossed the picket lines, says UNISON.
Since the last strikes, Serco has made no new offer despite meetings with staff reps.
But workers are still hopeful that next month’s strikes can be called off if council leaders, who are ultimately responsible for the service, step in. Serco has said it is willing to increase pay if Breckland and North Norfolk step in to bridge the gap between Serco’s offer and the workers’ claim.
Council leaders have previously said any attempt to solve the dispute with a cash injection could be blocked by Serco through legal action.
UNISON Eastern regional organiser Cameron Matthews said: “Even though we’re announcing new strike dates today, the end of this dispute is in sight.
“All it will take is councils freeing up a small amount of cash to ensure their refuse workers, streets cleaners, grounds maintenance and toilet cleansers can afford to live on their pay.
“They’ve told us before that if they step in there’s a risk that Serco would sue. Now they know that won’t happen, they can easily resolve this dispute and ensure local workers are paid properly and residents get the service they deserve.”
