Binmen to strike over pay in Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead in August 31 walkout
Binmen in the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead are set to strike over pay as union GMB turned down a six per cent pay rise.
Refuse collectors in the Queen‘s backyard had been offered the new pay plan by employer Serco, but union members voted to reject the proposal.
They will walk out from Wednesday, August 31 until Serco improves its offer, GMB said.
The UK’s inflation rate is now above ten per cent, with modest estimations setting its peak by the end of the year above 13 per cent, more than double Serco’s offer.
GMB refuse and cleaning workers in Glasgow protest outside an office building last month
GMB also pointed out that its workers in the west London borough, one of the UK’s wealthiest areas, are paid below employees in neighbouring areas.
Windsor and Maidenhead bin workers are paid from £9.91 per hour, compared with £11.24 an hour in nearby Slough.
Regional officer Nikki Dancey said: ‘This is one of the most expensive areas in the country to live and this pay offer neither reflects that, nor the current rate of inflation, or the attached cost-of-living crisis.
‘Increasing numbers of Serco workers are being forced into claiming benefits and using foodbanks to survive, and this will only worsen as we head towards winter.’
Serco clarified that the Queen’s rubbish is not collected under its contract with the borough council and will be unaffected by this month’s strike.
Windsor and Maidenhead bin workers are paid from £9.91 per hour, compared with £11.24 an hour in nearby Slough, according to GMB, who called on Serco to offer more (stock image)
Binmen in the Queen’s backyard will walk out from August 31 till an improved pay plan is tabled
Katy Bassett, Regional Director for Serco Environmental Services, added: ‘It is always our intention to work in partnership with trade unions and we would urge the GMB to suspend the planned strike action from 31 August while negotiations are ongoing, in line with our agreed dispute procedure.’
The council stated: ‘We are aware of the union’s announcement and are liaising with Serco as our contractor and would like to see the dispute resolved without disruption to bin collections.’
GMB members working as refuse collectors have taken more than 100 days of strike action in recent months over pay, mainly across southern England.
