Bin workers to go on strike over union dispute

The strike will last from 29 July to 2 August

Refuse collection workers have announced that they will strike for five days at the end of July.

Union Unite said the 100 staff at the Lumley Street depot in Sheffield would walk out from 29 July until 2 August.

The action is the result of a disagreement about which union represents workers.

Sheffield City Council promised to "communicate" any changes to bin collection dates to the public.

The depot is run by Veolia, which has provided waste management and recycling services in Sheffield since 2001.

Unite said it represents around 80% of the Lumley Street workforce, but Veolia claimed it instead had a long-standing agreement with the GMB union, which is formally recognised.

A Veolia spokesperson called for Unite to resolve its “inter-union dispute” and engage with the Trades Union Congress.

They added: “We acknowledge and respect the right of our people to be members of a trade union and remain committed to fair representation and delivering outstanding services to Sheffield."

'Rubbish piling up'

Unite regional officer Shane Sweeting warned that strike action would lead to rubbish piling up across Sheffield.

He said: "Veolia needs to understand the depth of anger among our members and urgently come back to the negotiating table prepared to accept that Unite is the union it needs to formally recognise.”

Sheffield City Council said it was keen to ensure there was minimal impact on the public.

Chair of the waste and street scene committee, Councillor Joe Otten, said: “If any industrial action takes place, we will work closely with Veolia to make sure customers receive clear communication about any changes to their collections caused by the action.

"We are encouraging both Unite and GMB unions to talk together to resolve this situation as soon as possible.”