Around 150 Suez bin workers angry at ‘pay cut’ while company rakes in millions

Around 150 workers employed by Suez emptying bins on behalf of South Gloucestershire council are to strike in June and July over pay, Unite, the UK’s leading union, said today (Tuesday).

The workers voted to strike by 89 per cent after rejecting an eight per cent pay offer from the company, which, according to its latest UK financial returns, brought in profits of £80.8 million in 2021. With the real rate of inflation, RPI, at 11.4 per cent, this is a significant real terms pay cut. 

The company’s South Gloucestershire bin loaders earn just £11.53 per hour.   

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Suez is an extremely profitable company but is offering these workers a real terms pay cut during the worst cost of living crisis in generations. 

“Unite’s total focus on defending our members’ jobs, pay and conditions will ensure that Suez’s workforce have their union’s absolute support in fighting back against their employer’s greed.”

The workers will strike from 12 June until 18 June and again from 26 June until 9 July. If the dispute is not resolved, industrial action will intensify over the summer. 

Unite regional officer Ken Fish said: “Our members have been forced to take action because Suez refuses to table a reasonable pay offer. South Gloucestershire’s residents are facing a stinky summer because of Suez's greed.

“This is a lucrative contract and the council needs to intervene and force Suez to put forward a fair offer to our members.”

ENDS

For media enquires ONLY contact senior Unite communications officer Ryan Fletcher on 07849 090215 or 020 3371 2065.

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Unite is Britain and Ireland’s largest union with members working across all sectors of the economy. The general secretary is Sharon Graham.