Thurrock bin workers' strike suspended after talks

Picketing took place at the depot in West Thurrock

Strike action which resulted in residents in one area having to dispose of their own rubbish has been suspended.

Refuse workers in Thurrock, Essex, have been striking since 13 April over changes to terms and conditions which a union said would lose them money.

Thurrock Council's leader Rob Gledhill said waste collection staff would return to work next week.

Michelle Cook, from union Unite, called the deal "a victory" for workers.

The council had organised seven waste drop-off locations where residents could take their bagged waste.

Unite's Michelle Cook said the deal to end strike action was a victory for refuse workers

Refuse workers earn on average £25,000 a year and Unite said the dispute centres on bank holiday triple pay being reduced to double pay, the loss of extra payments for vehicle inspections and employees having to be more flexible over shifts.

The union said refuse collectors could see their earnings fall by as much as £3,800 under the proposals.

• The place where people deal with their own rubbish

• Bin workers strike over 'loss of earnings'

Conservative Mr Gledhill said he was "pleased "discussions with Unite had resulted in the union "suspending their waste collection strike action meaning that we can welcome our highly valued waste collection staff back to work next week".

Household waste collections are set to resume from Monday, with additional work taking place to collect waste and recycling that has built up during the strike.

It had been feared residents would be without the service until 18 June.

Residents in Thurrock had been warned they would not have their household waste collected until 18 June at the earliest

Unite regional officer Ms Cook said: "This deal is a victory for the workers who stood firm for six weeks in a strike to defend their pay.

"These essential workers, who were applauded for their work through the pandemic, now deserve to be applauded for the solidarity and determination they showed.

"When workers organise, workers win."

Negotiations between the council and Unite over workers' terms and conditions are ongoing.