Harlow Labour leader makes plea to bin bosses over possible strike
Politics / Tue 24th May 2022 at 07:45am
THE LEADER of the Harlow Labour group has made an appeal to bin bosses Veoila over possible strike action.
Councillor Chris Vince said: “I am writing as leader of the Labour group, local councillor for Little Parndon and Hare Street and as a resident of Harlow urging Veolia management team to sit down and negotiate properly with their staff and trade union representatives.
Yesterday I spoke to the CEO of the council and urged him to do what he could to ask for the same, and both myself and the shadow spokesperson for environment Cllr Nancy Watson have emailed
Veolia directly to that effect. I am disappointed that this seems to be another issue that the Conservative administration is failing to show leadership on and remains silent.
I want to go on record and recognise the important work that our towns refuse collectors do and in particular what they have done over recent years, putting themselves in harms way to ensure we still had a waste collection service during the pandemic.
Having spoken to staffing trade unions I feel confident that a solution can be reached which is beneficial to all and does not lead to a reduced or disrupted service for the residents of our town if Veolia management were willing to sit around the negotiation table.
“I offer any assistance I can give to help resolve this issue”.
Lostinthemiddle
2022-05-24 07:58:07
Sorry…didn’t Labour appoint this company when in charge of the council and have strikes under their leadership too? It’s great that both sides are putting pressure on the company to come to a resolution but accusing a council who took over this mess of lacking leadership is political point scoring and completely unnecessary. Work together to resolve the issue without once resorting to blaming each other for your own mistakes
Theman
2022-05-24 11:14:44
Refuse collection should be a in house job, not farmed out. If the council can’t make it work then the taxes need to go up to pay for service. Farming out just means profits for the contractors at the expense of wages for the workers
Theman
2022-05-24 11:16:29
Oh and it would be real nice if our councillors focused on doing a good job instead of petty point scoring
Ann Ledo
2022-05-24 12:41:39
The Conservative administration, privatised most 'in house' departments. The last Labour Council began to bring back 'in house' services. Let's hope the Conservative administration does not continue their previous privatisation spree. Nobody wants a strike, low paid Veola workers will not get any pay and of course Veola. If Veola won't even discuss with the Union and the Council, what do they expect. All parties, the Council, Veola and the Union need to sit round the table to reach a compromise. The Conservative Leader should be initiating this.
Neil
2022-05-24 19:12:49
TheMan, your absolutely correct, its madness to have a French company creaming off the profits when this is a local service emplying local employees, Sod their shareholder profits..I want our binmen on our side.
curly
2022-05-25 09:02:33
that's rubbish
Johnny
2022-05-25 11:07:51
Is it okay to have a huge community bonfire to burn all our waste? Not too near anything incandescent or explosive?🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🙈
Theman
2022-05-25 11:08:10
I think if a strike happens, don’t let the rubbish build up in your neighbourhood, but instead take it to the council water gardens office as this situation is ultimately their responsibility. It might sharpen their focus.
David Forman
2022-05-25 14:30:33
The last Labour administration under Cllr Ingall tried to give private company Biffa the waste contract, but Veolia cried "foul play" over the tendering exercise and threatened court action. So their Environment portfolio holder, the late Cllr Danny Purton, had to acquiescence to another tendering round which Veolia won. The cost of bringing waste back 'in house' was considered, but found to be too costly.
Theman
2022-05-27 14:00:38
My point, if you can’t afford to do it in house, then farming it out only means corners cut and lower wages for the workers, which at the end of the day is still the councils responsibility. You can farm out the work, but not the responsibility, and public bodies don’t seem to get that.
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