East Suffolk Norse bin collection staff accept increased pay offer

An improved pay offer from East Suffolk Norse averted strike action by refuse collectors

Refuse workers have accepted an increased pay offer put forward after they threatened strike action.

East Suffolk Norse made a pay offer that met union Unison's request for an additional £1.25 per hour.

Planned industrial action was called off last week while talks continued.

Employees on the lowest pay will now get approximately £12.26 an hour and all will receive improved sick pay terms starting in December, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

East Suffolk Norse refuse workers were successful in their pay negotiations

The ballot showed 95 members accepted the offer, with one against.

East Suffolk Norse is owned by East Suffolk District Council and Norse, with Norse owned by Norfolk County Council.

Jonathan Dunning of Unison said he was "really pleased" with the "significantly improved offer that was acceptable to our members".

"However, Unison believes refuse workers still get a raw deal compared with their colleagues who are directly employed by the council, so it will be seeking to make good on that as we move forward in talks with the council," he said.

The strike had originally been called for by 96% of workers, who wanted a minimum wage of about £12 per hour to help them make ends meet.

Conservative councillor Stephen Burroughes, who has cabinet responsibility for commercial partnerships, said: "Throughout this process, the council's priority has been to ensure that a solution is reached in the very best interests of all parties."

David Beavan, leader of the Green, Liberal Democrat and Independent group, said he was pleased with the outcome.

"If only the council had listened when we called for £12 an hour minimum back at September's council meeting, the bin men would not have had to work to rule and threaten strikes just so that they had enough money to live on," he said.