GMB Union members voted overwhelmingly against a 2.8% and 3.2% pay rise, demanding better pay and working conditions, reports Marco Marcelline
Waltham Forest bin workers could potentially go on strike after rejecting two “poor” pay offers.
GMB Union says its Waltham Forest members employed by FCC Environment voted overwhelmingly against both a 2.8% and 3.2% pay rise.
The Spanish company FCC Environment took over waste collections in Waltham Forest in 2024, when it purchased previous contractor Urbaser UK.
GMB member and binman Lewis Mather said he would “absolutely” vote for strike action if it came to it.
Along with his colleagues, Lewis rejected both pay offers from FCC Environment because it excludes London Living Wage (LLW) employees such as himself.
He says he wants the company to agree to lift LLW employees salaries from £13.85 an hour to £15.50 an hour, which would represent a pay rise of 11.9%.
Lewis told the Echo: “It’s not easy being a binman; you’re out in all weather, rain, snow, 52 weeks a year. We worked all through COVID and we don’t even get any sick pay. You don’t even get bank holidays off – you have to book them as annual leave holidays.”
Meanwhile, fellow bin worker Veronika Csonki expressed her concern at the state of staff facilities at FCC Environment’s Walthamstow depot, saying: “The women’s toilets haven’t got any hot water and the only place you can go and sit is the little canteen.
“In the summer the canteen is too hot and in winter it is too cold but if you have to wait for your vehicle to get fixed, it’s the only place you can go.
“We also don’t have access to a kitchen, only vending machines. There are basic needs that the company is not supplying.”
During last month’s heatwave, there was not enough water available on the depot for all 300 refuse workers.
Refuse worker Adam Waclawczyk shared Veronika’s disquiet at work conditions, stating that their vehicles don’t have air conditioning despite the hot summer weather.
He added: “Our employees have had enough, and we will fight for our pay rises. FCC’s offers are not serious compared to the rising cost of living.”
Following today’s move by employees to reject the 3.2% pay rise, a spokesperson from GMB said the union would consider balloting for strike action if FCC don’t come back with a “better” offer.
Joining his colleagues in protesting the state of facilities, Lewis also stated that animal road kills were being stored in a freezer in the depot’s canteen. He said: “We’re having to sit right next to this freezer with dead foxes. From an environmental health standpoint surely you shouldn’t be storing roadkill [dead foxes] in the same room where we eat.”
FCC Environment said: “We made a fair offer to its employees in Waltham Forest commensurate with settlements made and agreed in many other parts of the country. FCC further confirmed that its door was always open to further direct discussions with the union but that the company will not negotiate through the media.”
The Echo understands Unite union members employed by FCC Environment are also considering balloting over strike action.
Deputy council leader and cabinet member for climate and air quality Clyde Loakes, said: “The council is not involved in any of the pay discussions between FCC Environment and its staff, as that is not within our jurisdiction. We want to see both sides come to a swift resolution, and we understand that discussions are ongoing to reach a settlement.”
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