Refuse collectors in West Cumbria are set to go on a four-day strike later this month over pay – but their bosses say their demands are unaffordable.
A total of 60 refuse collectors, members of Unite, have voted in favour of industrial action. They are employed by Allerdale Waste Services.
The union said workers were paid £10.90 an hour as loaders and drivers were paid £11.89.
Allerdale Waste Services is a wholly owned trading company of Cumberland Council – formerly Allerdale Borough Council – and provide waste collection services for the authority.
Cumberland Council said: “From April 1, employees from Allerdale Waste Services were awarded a 10.1 per cent pay rise which is based on the Foundation Living Wage (a higher rate than the National Living Wage). This represents a loaders’ rate of pay having increased by 21.1 per cent and a drivers’ rate of pay having increased by 23.9 per cent since Allerdale Waste Services took over the waste contract in 2020.
“Trade unions have since balloted their members for strike action based on demands which would see up to a 32.6 per cent increase, which is unaffordable for Allerdale Waste Services.
“Employees in Allerdale Waste Services are salaried, and their rates of pay are either comparable with or more than the annual salaries of the other waste services in the Cumberland area. As well as not being affordable, a 32.6 per cent pay increase would create significant disharmony in other service areas.”
However, Unite claims that even with the recent pay increase, the pay rates are among the lowest for refuse workers in the UK.
A Cumberland Council spokesman said: “We are working with Allerdale Waste Services who are in dialogue with the trade union representatives on the proposed strike action.
“Our officers are looking at a number of different options to minimise the impact that this disruption could have on Cumberland residents and businesses. We will provide more updates in due course.”
