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Brighton binmen strike suspended (From The Argus)
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Brighton binmen strike suspended
1:10pm Tuesday 10th November 2009
The binmen strike in Brighton and Hove has been suspended for 28 days.
Cityclean workers and union bosses today met Brighton and Hove City Council officials at the Hollingdean depot.
Workers told The Argus the two-week strike had been suspended, but they would not comment further.
The Argus has been told that the deal will mean that Cityclean workers are classed as skilled, meaning most staff will be on the same wages, with some even possibly getting more.
It is believed that 97% of staff will see their dispute resolved in this way.
Talks will continue to try to reach a solution for the remaining 3%.
If no agreement can be reached, it is likely staff will go on strike again after 28 days.
GMB official Mark Turner said: "After only two days of all-out industrial action the streets of Brighton were piled high with rubbish and the council found itself under increasing pressure from residents to resolve the dispute.
"Negotiations have moved in the right direction which meant we were in a position to be able to put the renewed offer to the members.
"The support from the public has been phenomenal and clearly shows that the people of Brighton are on the side of GMB members in this dispute."
Council leader Mary Mears said: "We’re delighted the GMB union has decided to suspend the strike so that normal rubbish collections can resume. We will now resume talks about the details of our proposal.
"While we can’t go into this offer, we can say that we have aimed to meet our legal and moral duty to pay employees fairly without passing on unnecessary costs to council taxpayers.
"Although the strike has lasted only two days, it will take a short while for the council to catch up on any missed collections and we’d ask for residents’ patience during this brief period.
"We have a hard working and dedicated workforce, which we are proud of, and I’m confident they will get the job done as quickly as possible."
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Your Say YourArgus
Avangelist, Brighton says...
2:09pm Tue 10 Nov 09
Or maybe they realised that in doing so all they were doing was creating more work with more overtime that they wont get paid for.
miss_lad_pink, brighton says...
2:16pm Tue 10 Nov 09
superlative, Brighton says...
2:23pm Tue 10 Nov 09
keljames1, Brighton says...
2:36pm Tue 10 Nov 09
deni, brighton says...
2:39pm Tue 10 Nov 09
Warren C, moulsecoomb says...
2:46pm Tue 10 Nov 09
BB1975, Hove says...
3:24pm Tue 10 Nov 09
artyray, Brighton says...
3:37pm Tue 10 Nov 09
Voice of Unreason, B&H says...
3:42pm Tue 10 Nov 09
What in?
caeos, sussex says...
3:49pm Tue 10 Nov 09
bbrh, Brighton says...
3:54pm Tue 10 Nov 09
Hove1974, Hove says...
4:17pm Tue 10 Nov 09
Fred187, Brighton says...
4:24pm Tue 10 Nov 09
John Steed, worthing says...
5:56pm Tue 10 Nov 09
best thing to do is negotiate a reduction in wages due to a negative economy
Lady Smith, Brighton says...
6:55pm Tue 10 Nov 09
The words 'cheek' and 'old Nick' come to mind...
tonybee, Brighton says...
7:31pm Tue 10 Nov 09
An IQ of minus 30 or higher
Dave At Home, Brighton says...
7:57pm Tue 10 Nov 09
I don't think Turner thought to much of the mess he has created in the City and surrounding areas in the last few days. I wonder whos idea it was to defect vehicles that were driven the day before without any problems but as soon as a work to rule comes in the vehicles are off the road.
It's funny that the other large employer in the City is also run by a 'Union' who again think they can hold the residents to ransom, except in their case, some of the residents and drivers would like to see the City rid of hundreds of bus journeys and injuries caused by said over size and over weight vehicles in the City.
The Cityclean workers and the residents are the winners here, not the Council or the Unions.
Gaz the great, Brighton says...
8:01pm Tue 10 Nov 09
rabmck, brighton says...
9:36pm Tue 10 Nov 09
browneyedgirl, Brighton says...
9:41pm Tue 10 Nov 09
binladen, Brighton says...
10:29pm Tue 10 Nov 09
Looking at the video footage of the picket line how can these morons possibly claim 'skilled status'..what exactly is their skill ?
Literally you could train a monkey to work for CityClean!
I have always found it acutely ironic that the town that spawned Stomp can't empty the bins without it turning into a political battle whether it's CityClean or Sita.
sambro, Peacehaven says...
12:26am Wed 11 Nov 09
Voice of Unreason, B&H says...
8:20am Wed 11 Nov 09
Lady Smith wrote:Bloody idiots.
I've just seen this on the CityClean website: 'Please help us to clear up as quickly as possible by making sure your waste and recycling is out on the right day.' The words 'cheek' and 'old Nick' come to mind...
As ours was supposed to be collected on Tues - how are we supposed to know what 'the right day' is this week?
I wish I was psychic - but I'm not.
What about a notice saying the following:
'As we have dicked you about this week, don't bother putting your bins by the side of the road for days, we'll collect them from you garden as we used to do'.
Pigs and flying spring to mind...
OP8, Brighton says...
9:25am Wed 11 Nov 09
TheInsider, Brighton says...
9:52am Wed 11 Nov 09
He has done nothing but drive a wedge between the workers and residents with years of threats of industrial action and action. This union has reduced the binmen to a laughing stock with residents whose comments about them on this site is a good example of how people feel about the work they do. I urge the binmen to vote him out at the earliest opportunity and get themselves a modern, brighter union rep who can see the bigger picture instead of this dinosaur. The binmen and its union need to rebuild a relationship with the town's people.
I support the binmen but Mr Turner has to go.
thesnowbrigade, Kemp Town says...
12:59pm Wed 11 Nov 09
If the workforce wasn't in the union in the first place then the council would have just gone ahead and implemented the drastic cuts.
GMB and Mark Turner have done an absolutely fantastic job and congratulations are in order.
RickH, Hove says...
1:39pm Wed 11 Nov 09
Hovist, Hove says...
3:41pm Wed 11 Nov 09
sophieone, brighton says...
4:08pm Wed 11 Nov 09
BB1975, Hove says...
4:22pm Wed 11 Nov 09
Refuse Truck Driver, Brighton says...
7:05pm Wed 11 Nov 09
deni wrote:Once again the argus has reported something that isn't quite accurate. The whole point of this grading exercise was to GRADE UNSKILLED WORKERS. If they get moved from a grade 1 on that scale to a grade 2 it does not mean they are suddenly classed as skilled. All the grades on this scale are unskilled.
'SKILLED'
RickH, Hove says...
10:40pm Wed 11 Nov 09
Refuse Truck Driver wrote:Whether the article is correct or not, the point remains - in order to extracate themselves from the mess, CityClean and B&H Council have taken action that artificially inflates their the refuse collectors pay, erodes differentials between grades and plays straight into the hands of the refuse collectors every time they want more. It would have been so much simpler to put them on 'mark time' ie to freeze pay until the other grades had caught up. Watch this space for more strikes everytime they want more.
deni wrote: 'SKILLED'Once again the argus has reported something that isn't quite accurate. The whole point of this grading exercise was to GRADE UNSKILLED WORKERS. If they get moved from a grade 1 on that scale to a grade 2 it does not mean they are suddenly classed as skilled. All the grades on this scale are unskilled.
RickH, Hove says...
10:43pm Wed 11 Nov 09
BB1975 wrote:A job's value is a combination of many things, including, as you point out, the 'social' value of the role. However, the point here is not that they are not valued but are effectively now being 'up-graded' in order to stop industrial action. The only result will be greater wage inflation and erosion of pay differentials. I wonder what those in the grade to which they have been moved feel about this? Maybe they should go on strike to be up-graded - the employers have made a rod for their backs.
Perhaps before people start making derogatory comments about how skilled/unskilled Cityclean operatives need to be and how high their IQ's are, we should look at the utter chaos and mess that has been caused by just two days of no collections. Their work is clearly undervalued by a lot of residents. Just because someone doesn't have MD or PHD after their name, doesn't mean their contribution to society isn't valuable! Everyone deserves to be paid a reasonable wage that will put food on the table and pay the rent/mortgage no matter what job they do. I also expect these petty regulations, such as not collecting recycling boxes unless they're left in a certain position, come from Cityclean management and are not set by operatives.
Security word = ball-need - maybe aimed at City Clean & B&H Council?
BN3, Hove says...
10:47am Thu 12 Nov 09
Security word = common-sense?!
Andy R, Hove says...
10:59am Thu 12 Nov 09
Some workers have successfully defended their terms and conditions of employment, and the usual whiners are out here in force...doing what they do "best" (and that certainly isn't doing the job that the refuse workers do)
I have NEVER had any difficulty having my bin emptied by Cityclean workers. Just what are some of you people putting in your domestic waste??
As for some of the comments about Mark Turner....a union rep has just organised two days of industrial action and secured a complete climbdown by the employer....and some people on here thinks the workers should "vote him out" and get someone who is less of a "dinosaur"? I suspect that, as far as most of his members are concerned, Mark Turner walks on water.
What planet, folks, what planet??
rabmck, brighton says...
8:28pm Thu 12 Nov 09
Hovist wrote:Dear Hovist please check your facts the tragic incident that you attempt to blame on cityclean drivers was in fact a private contractor I will not name the company to save both the driver & also the victims family from any further distress but after this incident Cityclean managers at the insistance of the H&S rep of the (GMB) introduced reversing assistants to the service unfortunatley they only provided training to a few but now probably because of the work to rule when drivers refused to reverse without a qualified assistant they intend to train all operatives in this task so our action has resulted in our drivers bringing more safety to the roads by insisting operatives recieve this training we will accept any level of critisicm that the residents have as long as it is accurate and constructive we do not apoligise for this strike however we do apoligise to all residents for the inconvenience this action may have caused them we will do our best to clear the refuse/recycling as quickly as possible to allow people to go about their daily business with the city looking as clean as it would normally on behalf of all GMB members I apoligise for to the people of Brighton & Hove
Well, I hope that now these truck drivers are registered "skilled" they take more care when reversing. I remember that incident a few years ago when that poor woman was knocked down & killed in Cranbourne St by a reversing City Clean truck. If there's a blind spot the driver should always get out of the cab and check etc. They shouldn't just rely on the automatic "beep" warnings & expect people to instantly get out of their way.That incident showed a pretty poor grasp of "safety awareness skills" if you ask me.
that
rabmck, brighton says...
9:22pm Thu 12 Nov 09
Dave At Home wrote:Dear Dave at home let me correct you on a few points firtsly (Mark Turner ) didnt ballot the members the union reps met with the members and the members urged us to go to a ballot not to gain more money or improve conditions merley to protect what was alrready theirs,when we the reps asked (MT) to go to ballot he believed we where jumping the gun & that through negotiation the problems could be resolved it was the councils blatant attitude that finally resulted in a ballot and it was the members who voted 94% in favour of strike action to protect their lively hoods now you can believe whatever you like I have purley stated the facts as they happened some people may not like Mark Turner or what he does that is their personal choice but please give credit where it is due he& the negotiators from the union did what they are paid to do and that is protect the terms & conditions of the workers in cityclean thank you for your support for me and my collegues it is truely appreciated
A reminder to GMB official Mark Turner, we the public and residents of Brighton & Hove are not on the side of the GMB or any other union, we are on the side of the workers, the WORKERS who do a brilliant job while out on their rounds, not some union official like Mark Turner who thinks he has won something for his members. I don't think Turner thought to much of the mess he has created in the City and surrounding areas in the last few days. I wonder whos idea it was to defect vehicles that were driven the day before without any problems but as soon as a work to rule comes in the vehicles are off the road. It's funny that the other large employer in the City is also run by a 'Union' who again think they can hold the residents to ransom, except in their case, some of the residents and drivers would like to see the City rid of hundreds of bus journeys and injuries caused by said over size and over weight vehicles in the City. The Cityclean workers and the residents are the winners here, not the Council or the Unions.
rabmck, brighton says...
9:31pm Thu 12 Nov 09
TheInsider wrote:the insider has wrote many times with regards to Mark Turner I think I detect a hint of jealousy or maybe bitterness you give me the impression that you have some grievance against Mark or the GMB union are you perhaps a manager within the council or some other workplace where mark has acted to protect or improve the terms & conditions for the employee as for your suggestion that we should vote him out at the earliest oppertunity I dont think the cityclean workers agree we would prefer if Gordon Brown could include (TURNER) on the new years honours list the workers say arise (Sir Mark of Brighton & Hove )lol
Dave at Home is correct about Mark Turner. He has done nothing but drive a wedge between the workers and residents with years of threats of industrial action and action. This union has reduced the binmen to a laughing stock with residents whose comments about them on this site is a good example of how people feel about the work they do. I urge the binmen to vote him out at the earliest opportunity and get themselves a modern, brighter union rep who can see the bigger picture instead of this dinosaur. The binmen and its union need to rebuild a relationship with the town's people. I support the binmen but Mr Turner has to go.
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r2dean2, brighton says...
1:27pm Tue 10 Nov 09