UNITE the union chiefs have called for Coventry City Council to ‘learn from its mistakes’ to avoid a ‘colossal failure’ after its bin loaders ‘overwhelmingly’ voted for strike action.
In total, 74 per cent of the loaders represented by Unite the Union voted to walk out and for action short of a strike after they claimed the authority was attempting to impose ‘significant cuts’ to the workers’ terms and conditions.
More than 40 HGV refuse lorry drivers employed by the city council have already voted for strike action.
Unite further claimed local government workers’ pay has been cut in real terms by over 20 per cent since 2010.
During the first half of 2022, Coventry’s HGV refuse lorry drivers went on strike for six months in a dispute over pay.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “This is a wake-up call for Coventry council. There is now a short window of opportunity to prevent industrial action before the workers announce a winter of strikes.
“Our members are on the streets every week during heatwaves and hailstorms. Unite will not accept attacks to their terms and conditions.”
The union national lead officer Onay Kasab added: “Coventry had six months of strike action last year, another strike in 2023 would be a colossal failure for Coventry Council.
“Unite members are rightly standing up and defending their terms and conditions. Coventry council need to learn from its mistakes and quickly negotiate and end this dispute.”
A Council spokesperson said: “We have been notified that Unite the Union
has achieved a mandate for strike action from its members who work as bin collectors in the city.
“We of course fully accept a worker’s right to strike but there is no getting away from the fact that we are frustrated as the ballot relates solely to a change to terms and conditions when in fact no change has been made and nothing has been decided.
“A small proportion of crew are Unite members so while we wait to see if we are notified of an intention to strike our focus now is on ensuring we can continue to provide a bin collection service across the city and we want to reassure residents that we will do all we can achieve this.”
