Brighton Bin Strike Set To Continue For Extra Two Weeks

As rubbish builds up all over Brighton & Hove, the GMB union has announced the strike will continue for two more weeks.

According to other news sources, yesterday afternoon the GMB Sussex Branch issued Brighton & Hove City Council with a further strike notice.

The current strike started on Tuesday, October 5, for two weeks, and workers were due to return to work on Monday, October 18.

However, the union says a new strike will begin on Thursday, October 21 for two more weeks, effectively meaning bins won't be emptied in the city for a whole month.

Bins in Brighton & Hove are already overflowing and surrounded by rubbish, so rat and fly infestations could become a problem in the city if the council does not make an acceptable offer to CityClean workers.

In a report by Local Democracy Reporter Sarah Booker-Lewis, Green council leader Phélim Mac Cafferty told the committee that talks between council officials and the GMB union were at a sensitive stage.

He said that councillors had attended talks on Tuesday to listen to drivers’ concerns.

“Councillors are not involved in the day-to-day management of drivers at Cityclean but this week we have attended talks as we are keen to listen and ensure the concerns of staff are heard.

“We want to help resolve the dispute raised by the GMB with the employer.

“For the past few weeks, council management have been meeting with GMB representatives and following a round of talks on Tuesday night (5 October) the employer made a formal offer to the GMB to address the issues being raised, including about bin lorry rounds being moved.

“I want to thank residents for their patience over the disruption. People in our city want to see a bin collection service that works.

“The desire for a well-functioning waste and recycling system is one that we share and we hope talks can lead to this outcome for residents and for staff.”

Two Green councillors, Amy Heley and Jamie Lloyd, attended the meeting with the GMB union yesterday when they were joined by senior council officials.

In response to Councillor Mac Cafferty’s comment, GMB branch secretary Mark Turner said that the council leader had not met union representatives himself.

Mr Turner said:

“He still refuses to meet the GMB and those councillors were asked to leave the room yesterday because they were just antagonising the dispute.”

The strike started on Tuesday, with drivers picketing outside the Cityclean depot in Upper Hollingdean Road, Brighton.