Beach and street cleaning and business and household waste collections to stop

Great Yarmouth bin and street cleaning workers, along with landscaping workers and grave diggers, will begin strike action in August, Unite, the UK’s leading union, said today.

Around 100 workers will strike over poverty pay, as most earn pennies above the minimum wage. In comparison, wages for staff doing the same jobs in Norwich, Broadland and Lowestoft are 20 per cent higher.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “These workers are doing heavy smelly work in all weathers to keep Great Yarmouth clean and tidy. Their current of rate of pay is an insult and needs to improve. Unite is supporting these workers all the way in their fight for fair wages.”

Strikes will take place on 6, 7, 10, 11 and 12 August. Industrial action will intensify throughout the summer if the dispute is not resolved.

Sea front businesses will not have their waste collected, litter bins will go unemptied and street cleaning services, including at the beach, will not go ahead. Household waste collections will also stop.

Unite regional officer Andreas Kuchner said: “It seems the council’s leadership would rather let residents, businesses and tourists suffer a summer of rubbish than address the deeply unfair poverty pay rates these essential workers are expected to survive on. The only ones thanking the council for causing these strikes will be the sea gulls and the rats. Strike action can still be avoided but that will require an acceptable offer.”

The dispute also includes members of the UNISON and GMB unions.

Great Yarmouth Services is a wholly owned subsidiary of Great Yarmouth council.

ENDS

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

Email: ryan.fletcher@unitetheunion.org

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