Selby bin workers step up strikes over pay

John Broadhurst, a HGV driver and Unite rep, said workers were asking for "a fair pay rise"

Bin workers in Selby have stepped up strike action in a dispute over pay.

Unite members began a four-day walkout on Tuesday in the first of five strikes planned for August and September

The union said staff at the North Yorkshire depot were paid "some of the lowest rates in the country for doing a difficult and unpleasant job".

Urbaser, the company which is contracted to empty bins on behalf of North Yorkshire Council, said it was working to limit disruption.

Unite said Selby bin loaders and grounds workers were paid £10.64 an hour and lorry drivers, who require a HGV licence, were paid £12.51 an hour.

Staff have been offered a rise of 8% plus a bonus, which Urbaser described as "a fair wage increase" but the union said amounted to a real-terms pay cut.

Workers staged a series of one-day strikes in June and July.

The four-day walkouts will take place on weeks when non-recyclable waste is collected.

About 40 refuse workers in Selby will be striking on a number of days over the summer

John Broadhurst, a HGV driver at the Selby depot who was among those taking action this week, said workers were "out here striking simply because we want a fair pay rise".

"We've got a voice and we want to be heard," he added.

Unite accused Urbaser of attempting to "undermine the strike" by implementing the rejected pay deal for workers not taking industrial action.

It warned strike action would "intensify if the dispute is not resolved".

Andy Turner, regional operations manager at Urbaser, said the company "values its staff members, and we would like to acknowledge the efforts of the remaining workforce who have worked tirelessly to minimise the disruption to services".

He added: "We remain hopeful that Unite will reengage in constructive discussions so that we are able to resolve the dispute swiftly."

Michael Leah, assistant director for environmental services at North Yorkshire Council, said the pay dispute was "a matter for the company" to resolve.

He said all garden waste would be collected on the same week as recycling bins during August to reduce disruption.

Urbaser's contract with the council will come to an end in April 2024, when the local authority plans to bring collection services in-house.