{"id":776,"date":"2009-10-21T16:55:55","date_gmt":"2009-10-21T16:55:55","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.edinburghagainstpoverty.org.uk\/?p=776"},"modified":"2018-01-21T17:04:20","modified_gmt":"2018-01-21T17:04:20","slug":"street-cleaners-insist-dispute-with-council-continues","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/edinburghagainstpoverty.org.uk\/?p=776","title":{"rendered":"STREET CLEANERS INSIST DISPUTE WITH COUNCIL CONTINUES"},"content":{"rendered":"

Edinburgh Coalition Against Poverty supports the workers in the Cleansing Department and other Council manual workers who are fighting the attempts by the City of Edinburgh Council\u00a0to cut their wages and impose changes in their conditions.\u00a0 Here is the latest news in this struggle which affects everyone in the city, and beyond.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

Street cleaners have hit out at Council leaders\u2019 claims that they are \u201cset to give up their protest\u201d in the long-running dispute over wages and conditions.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s absolute nonsense.\u00a0 There\u2019s no truth in it at all,\u201c a Council street cleaner said.\u00a0 \u201cEverybody I spoke to today at work was of the same opinion.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe vast majority of manual workers will not be going back until the wages are re-paid to the binmen whose wages have been docked.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The Council claimed that a \u201cformal agreement\u201d has been put to the street cleaners.\u00a0 But a street cleaner stated: \u201cThe only letter we have had through the door from the Council is one stating that our wages are being cut to between \u00a312,000 and \u00a314,000.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

ACTION CONTINUES<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Hundreds of Council manual workers agreed at a mass meeting on 9th October to continue their work-to-rule and overtime ban to oppose wage cuts and changes in conditions. \u201cNothings changed,\u201d a street cleaner told us, \u201cThis is Council PR.\u00a0 They can\u2019t give separate deals to different sections of workers.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

And a street cleaner slammed the Council\u2019s \u201cpartial performance\u201d policy of docking the wages of binmen who are working to rule.\u00a0 \u201cThe binmen are the only people in the City of Edinburgh Council being hit by so-called \u201cpartial performance.\u201d\u00a0 It\u2019s victimisation!\u201d he insisted.<\/span><\/p>\n

And a bin worker stated: \u201cThe management are using bullyboy tactics and harassment.\u00a0 Our depot\u2019s like a police state.\u201d\u00a0 He explained that several binmen signed off sick by their doctor are being refused sick pay by the Council.\u00a0 \u201cThis is illegal,\u201c he declared.<\/span><\/p>\n

“SUPPORT THE COUNCIL WORKERS”<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

The Council workers solidarity group,\u00a0who have been blockading the private bin lorries, stated: \u201cThe Council manual workers are fighting the first battle against the Council\u2019s plans for massive cuts and privatisation of many services.\u00a0 We urge Edinburgh citizens to support the Council workers \u2013 this affects us all.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Meanwhile a Council source revealed that Council bosses recently held a summit meeting to discuss how much longer they can continue paying \u201castronomical sums\u201d to the private companies who are operating bin lorries during the dispute.\u00a0 Council leaders are still refusing to comply with Freedom of Information requests to reveal the sums being paid to Assist, Shank Waste Management and other companies.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Council’s claims that the street cleaners were about to end their industrial action were reported as if they were fact in the Edinburgh Evening News on 19th October.\u00a0\u00a0 It is believed that some supporters of the council workers are investigating a submission to the Press Complaints Commission.<\/span><\/p>\n

GET INVOLVED<\/span><\/em>
\n<\/span>
\nMore info, and to get involved, contact Council workers solidarity group edinburghmuckraker@riseup.net<\/a>
\nOrganising meetings currently held weekly,\u00a0 next meeting 6pm Tues 27 October at\u00a0ACE<\/a>, 17 West Montgomery Place, EH7 5HA\u00a0 All interested very welcome.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n


\nThe\u00a0Edinburgh Muckraker news-sheet<\/a>\u00a0and stickers can be collected free from ACE, open Saturday 11-6, Tuesday 1-4pm, Thursday 6-8pm<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

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