Newham refuse workers set for two more weeks of strike action

Unite members in the council's waste and recycling service will strike from Tuesday, September 20 to Monday, October 3.

The announcement follows the first phase of action which lasted a week, from August 27 to September 3.

Newham Council said it had made some offers and had been consulting with all unions since August 16 but no offers have yet been accepted by Unite.

The union disputes mayor Rokhsana Fiaz's claim that workers have been offered a pay deal of up to 17.9 per cent.

Unite regional officer, Steve Edwards, said: "In reality the council has offered no new money to increase the workers’ basic pay – that’s why there’s a strike."

Jamie Blake, corporate director for environment and sustainable transport at Newham Council, responded: "We have offered a fair deal on top of the national pay offer.

Refuse workers striking at Central Depot on Folkstone Road, East Ham (Image: Archant)

"In addition, this year we made a retention payment of £2,000 to all waste service lorry drivers and have also agreed to extend this for 2023. With the fair deal we are offering, our waste teams will be paid in comparison with other outer London authorities.

"It would see loaders taking home an extra £265 every month (£3,179 a year) and drivers £431 extra every month (£5,179 a year)."

According to Unite, the council's offer is worth only £950 and this offer only applies if refuse workers work every bank holiday weekend.

Unite general secretary, Sharon Graham, said the council needs to "get on with the job of negotiating an end to the strike".

She added: "Obviously the workers would not be on strike if these claims about huge pay rises were real."

Mr Blake said the council had already agreed to increase overtime rates before the first strike action, adding: "We’ve made further offers despite our financial constraints."

He also said that the announced strikes would cause "disruption" to residents and "serious financial hardship" to council staff.

"The impact of Unite taking staff out on strike meant staff lost a significant amount of their income – four days of their earnings in total were lost in the recent strike, which means on average a loader lost £353 and drivers lost up to £453.

"This will increase significantly as Unite plan to get their members to strike for two weeks."