Adur and Worthing bin strike: Refuse workers begin 14-day walkout

Around 60 refuse workers took to the picket line in Lancing

Refuse workers in West Sussex have begun the first of 14 planned days of strike action in a row over pay.

Almost 60 members of the GMB union walked out, joining a picket line at a depot in Lancing.

Adur & Worthing Councils says a deal it offered workers was "superior" to agreements reached by the union with other councils in Sussex.

The GMB union said it wanted an offer "reflecting the value" of the work, and that the strike was its last resort.

'Hardly bodes well'

Union official Gary Palmer said: "The strike was rock solid. Almost 60 refuse collectors were on the picket line in Lancing. No lorries left the depot."

The strike action is affecting 82,000 homes in the local area, the union said.

An Adur & Worthing Councils spokesman said the local authority had reached out to the union for talks, but the offer was rejected.

"This kind of aggressive approach hardly bodes well for future dealings with the GMB and the efficiency and effectiveness of the waste service," he said.

"But there is still time for a rethink."

The strike follows recent similar industrial action by bin workers in nearby Eastbourne, Brighton and Hastings.

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