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Refuse collectors strike over pay and conditions

Robby West,in Great Yarmouthand
Neve Gordon-Farleigh
News imageMartin Giles/BBC Men standing on a picket line. In the foreground is a man who can only partially be seen, he is wearing a blue jacket, a red baseball cap on his head and a pair of glasses. He is holding up a sign in front of his body which says, RUBBISH COLLECTION NOT RUBBISH PAY. Behind him are men wearing orange fluorescent hi-vis vests and are holding placards.Martin Giles/BBC
Great Yarmouth Borough Council said 56 workers had chosen to strike

A refuse truck driver said he would have to tighten his belt this month but hoped his protest would pay off, as dozens of waste collectors and street cleaners went on strike.

One third of Great Yarmouth Services workers, which also includes landscapers and grave diggers, are striking after their demand for a 20% pay increase was rejected.

Union members refused a 3.3% rise and said they wanted to see salaries match staff doing the same jobs in Norwich, Broadland and Lowestoft.

Gareth John told the BBC on Thursday: "It makes me quite angry considering you can go six miles down the road and get paid nearly 11% more." The borough council called the union's demands "totally unacceptable".

Strike action is due to continue on 7, 10, 11 and 12 August.

Services are expected to be affected in Great Yarmouth, Gorleston and surrounding villages.

News imageMartin Giles/BBC Gareth John, standing outside as part of a picket line. He is looking directly at the camera and there is a row of people stood behind him in the background with banners, signs and flags. He is wearing a blue and red patterned T-shirt, with a red hi-vis vest over the top and a red baseball cap on his head.Martin Giles/BBC
At the picket line, Gareth John said he would take a short-term pay cut if it led to better conditions

John hoped that better terms could be agreed.

"When you consider not only are we underpaid... our terms and conditions aren't the same as some of our other workers," he said.

"I am going to have to tighten my belt this month, but I'm hoping in the long run this is going to better me and better my family."

More stories on the Great Yarmouth bin strikes:

News imageMartin Giles/BBC Andreas Kucher, a Unite the Union regional officer. He is standing outdoors on a picket line and a person is stood behind him waving a large red flag. Kucher is looking directly at the camera and is wearing a red T-shirt underneath a dark red zip-up hoodie. He is also wearing a yellow fluorescent hi-vis jacket.Martin Giles/BBC
Andreas Kucher said he wanted to see Great Yarmouth thrive and return to normal

Andreas Kucher, a Unite the Union regional officer, said the majority of staff on strike were currently being paid 11p above minimum wage.

He said: "We totally understand this is holiday season, it's a tourist town, we need to make sure bins are emptied and beaches are cleaned for the local businesses.

"We do not want to interrupt the businesses. We have beef with the employer, not local businesses.

"We want Great Yarmouth to thrive and we want Great Yarmouth to come back to its normal everyday business."

News imageMartin Giles/BBC Carl Smith, leader of Great Yarmouth Borough Council. He is looking directly at the camera and smiling. He is wearing a pale blue shirt with a navy blazer over the top and a grey patterned tie.Martin Giles/BBC
Carl Smith called the union's demands "unacceptable and unreasonable"

The Conservative leader of Great Yarmouth Borough Council, Carl Smith, said it was "business as usual", with five bin lorries out collecting household waste as opposed to the usual seven.

He said: "The union's demands are totally unacceptable and unreasonable. The increase it would cost on the Great Yarmouth taxpayer is £1m a year.

"The street scene you will notice may be no difference at all in the main hot spots along the big tourist areas.

"Everything is running virtually as normal as it would be with some slight disruption."

News imageMartin Giles/BBC A row of workers on strike as part of a picket line. Some are waving flags and others are holding a banner which say, WE DEMAND A WAGE WE CAN LIVE ON. POVERTY PAY MUST END.Martin Giles/BBC
Great Yarmouth Services have put in a number of contingency plans during the strike

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