Garden waste collection delayed after residents paid £61.80. Strikes cause disruptions, recycling halted.
Unite union members threaten more strikes next month. The council isn’t accepting new garden waste sign-ups, and they will contact those who already paid.
The council says the strike action caused this problem. Their statement came out today, noting that residents can use city tips for garden waste and that opening hours at the tips are longer.
The strike is causing problems for residents as recycling collections also stopped. People should mix recycling with regular trash, or take it to the tip.
The garden waste fee increased from £50 to £60 in 2024, and it went up again this year. The council warned of service disruptions on their website, mentioning the strike.
Unite is striking over a scrapped job, calling it a “safety-critical” waste role. The council claims changes will improve safety, and these changes are in the budget.
The council says their offer to Unite was reasonable, offering options to affected workers. This included driver training and other council roles, and it impacts only 40 workers.
The council thinks residents deserve better waste service and want to transform the service. Unite opposes the changes, and trash is piling up during this strike.