Saorsa
24th July 2009, 11:32
My dad was in Edinburgh over the past week and he mentioned that the city stinks and is overflowing with rubbish because of bin workers going on strike. Hope our Scottish comrades are out there supporting them!
http://news.scotsman.com/latestnews/Union-set-to-reject-city39s.5487211.jp
Union set to reject city's binmen deal
http://editorial.jpress.co.uk/web/Upload/TS//TH1_237200911en_bins.jpg
DUMPING GROUND:Rubbish continues to pile up
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Published Date: 23 July 2009
By Michael Blackley and Adam Morris
UNION chiefs say there is unlikely to be a quick resolution to Edinburgh's bin dispute as they expect a "take it or leave it" offer today from council chiefs.
Crunch talks were set to take place between the Unite union and the local authority today as rubbish continues to pile up on the streets.
While the union is expecting to be made an offer to end the work to rule and avoid an all-out strike, they are not optimistic of a resolution.
Sandy Smart, the regional industrial organiser, said: "I sincerely hope this can be resolved but I'm doubtful. We think they will make some kind of final offer, but what we are looking for is some room to manoeuvre, so some kind of sense of normality can resume."
In some parts of the city, rubbish has lain uncollected for three weeks as part of the "go-slow" by binmen, who are protesting about changes to the way that they are paid, which they say could cost them up to £7,000 a year.
Mr Smart said the union was angry at reports it was not willing to meet, and added that any industrial action would be official and there was no chance of unofficial or wildcat industrial action.
"This goes way beyond just the cleansing department," Mr Smart said. "There are people right across the board who are really feeling this too."
The union is set to meet the city's politicians at the end of next week, a summit which will either be make or break, depending on how today's rendezvous goes.
Unite initially declined the offer of a meeting until the result of a strike ballot, due to begin today and take up to a fortnight, is known, but council leader Jenny Dawe had written requesting a meeting as soon as possible.
The council has pledged to ensure that the dispute does not impact this weekend's series of events related to The Gathering and is currently finalising "detailed arrangements".
It is expected to make areas around the Royal Mile and Holyrood Park a priority.
Binmen also say they have been asked to focus on city centre areas, especially the Royal Mile, on their rounds – at the expense of areas like Baberton and Leith, where some streets have now gone three weeks without bin collection.
Councillor Dawe welcomed the news that Unite had now agreed to meet elected representatives.
She said: "We have been actively trying to arrange a meeting with Unite since early last week as we are keen to resolve the situation as soon as possible.
"Unfortunately, Unite were originally unwilling to meet until the ballot had concluded. We welcome a date now having been set for next week."
Drafting in external contractors to cover for the "go-slow" binmen is thought to be being considered by city leaders. Deputy council leader Steve Cardownie said the council has a "statutory duty" to keep the streets clean and is currently "looking at all options".
Meanwhile, it has emerged that neither the Scottish Government nor the Scottish Parliament has a contract with the council for waste collection.
.................................................. ........................................
http://news.scotsman.com/politics/Bin-claims--39would-cost.5469631.jp
Bin claims 'would cost £60m and 2,000 jobs'
http://editorial.jpress.co.uk/web/Upload/SCOT//TH1_177200936rubbish.jpg
Rubbish on The Royal Mile
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Published Date: 17 July 2009
By Ian Swanson
CITY leaders today said that giving in to union demands over the bin dispute would cost £60 million and mean up to 2,000 redundancies across the council.
Depute council leader Steve Cardownie accused the Unite union of being unwilling to work with the administration to resolve the dispute over controversial pay changes.
He said Unite's alternative proposals for bringing pay structures into line with gender equality laws were simply unaffordable without massive job losses.
The union hit back, however, saying the council was only willing to put in half as much money as other Scottish authorities to sorting out equal pay problems.
Refuse collectors have been operating a work to rule for the past three weeks, which has seen bins going uncollected and rubbish piling up in the streets, and Unite is now set to ballot hundreds of city staff on strike action.
Cllr Cardownie said the council was looking at "contingency plans" which would be announced depending on the outcome of the strike ballot. He said: "We have a solution to this dispute, and our door is open, but we are very disappointed that Unite don't want to work with us."
The dispute centres on plans to abolish the long-established bonus system which sees binmen paid a standard £7,000 on top of their official basic salary of £12,000, which is also supplemented by overtime. Instead, the council says it wants to bring in a basic salary of about £15,000 with a further £4,500 on offer in return for "flexible working", which would end the need for significant overtime payments.
The council says the union's alternative – consolidating the current bonus into basic pay and bringing other workers up to the same level – is not practical.
Cllr Cardownie said: "The unions agree we can't go on with our current pay system. It needs to be fair for the sake of staff and to protect taxpayers' money from millions of pounds worth of equal pay claims.
"The unions' solution would add £60m to our annual wage bill and could see up to 2,000 staff made redundant, and that's on top of the £90m savings we need to find in the next three years as a result of the savings required by the UK government."
But Sandy Smart, regional organiser of the Transport and General Workers' section of Unite, said: "I'm amazed Steve Cardownie has the cheek to and say this. We are not asking for a pay rise – we're just wanting to have the same wages we're getting.
"In every other authority in Scotland there has been six to 12 per cent of the total pay bill put in to resolve this – adjusting bonuses, shift payments and overtime allowances. Edinburgh is only willing to put in three per cent.
"They have been more interested in new seats for the City Chambers and robes for Jenny Dawe.
"We're happy to meet, but there is no point in going into a meeting if they are not prepared to deal with us properly and seriously."
• Householders are being advised to leave their bin out if it is not collected on the normal day and it should be collected it as soon as possible. Trade waste customers are advised that if waste is not collected, to remove it from the kerbside and re-present it on the next scheduled collection day.
http://news.scotsman.com/latestnews/Union-set-to-reject-city39s.5487211.jp
Union set to reject city's binmen deal
http://editorial.jpress.co.uk/web/Upload/TS//TH1_237200911en_bins.jpg
DUMPING GROUND:Rubbish continues to pile up
http://editorial.jpress.co.uk/web/Upload/TS/TH3_237200911en_bins.jpg (javascript:%20ShowThumb(0);)
http://news.scotsman.com/images/1pixel_spacer.gif (javascript:%20ShowThumb(1);)
http://news.scotsman.com/images/1pixel_spacer.gif (javascript:%20ShowThumb(2);)
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http://news.scotsman.com/images/1pixel_spacer.gif (javascript:%20ShowThumb(4);)
Published Date: 23 July 2009
By Michael Blackley and Adam Morris
UNION chiefs say there is unlikely to be a quick resolution to Edinburgh's bin dispute as they expect a "take it or leave it" offer today from council chiefs.
Crunch talks were set to take place between the Unite union and the local authority today as rubbish continues to pile up on the streets.
While the union is expecting to be made an offer to end the work to rule and avoid an all-out strike, they are not optimistic of a resolution.
Sandy Smart, the regional industrial organiser, said: "I sincerely hope this can be resolved but I'm doubtful. We think they will make some kind of final offer, but what we are looking for is some room to manoeuvre, so some kind of sense of normality can resume."
In some parts of the city, rubbish has lain uncollected for three weeks as part of the "go-slow" by binmen, who are protesting about changes to the way that they are paid, which they say could cost them up to £7,000 a year.
Mr Smart said the union was angry at reports it was not willing to meet, and added that any industrial action would be official and there was no chance of unofficial or wildcat industrial action.
"This goes way beyond just the cleansing department," Mr Smart said. "There are people right across the board who are really feeling this too."
The union is set to meet the city's politicians at the end of next week, a summit which will either be make or break, depending on how today's rendezvous goes.
Unite initially declined the offer of a meeting until the result of a strike ballot, due to begin today and take up to a fortnight, is known, but council leader Jenny Dawe had written requesting a meeting as soon as possible.
The council has pledged to ensure that the dispute does not impact this weekend's series of events related to The Gathering and is currently finalising "detailed arrangements".
It is expected to make areas around the Royal Mile and Holyrood Park a priority.
Binmen also say they have been asked to focus on city centre areas, especially the Royal Mile, on their rounds – at the expense of areas like Baberton and Leith, where some streets have now gone three weeks without bin collection.
Councillor Dawe welcomed the news that Unite had now agreed to meet elected representatives.
She said: "We have been actively trying to arrange a meeting with Unite since early last week as we are keen to resolve the situation as soon as possible.
"Unfortunately, Unite were originally unwilling to meet until the ballot had concluded. We welcome a date now having been set for next week."
Drafting in external contractors to cover for the "go-slow" binmen is thought to be being considered by city leaders. Deputy council leader Steve Cardownie said the council has a "statutory duty" to keep the streets clean and is currently "looking at all options".
Meanwhile, it has emerged that neither the Scottish Government nor the Scottish Parliament has a contract with the council for waste collection.
.................................................. ........................................
http://news.scotsman.com/politics/Bin-claims--39would-cost.5469631.jp
Bin claims 'would cost £60m and 2,000 jobs'
http://editorial.jpress.co.uk/web/Upload/SCOT//TH1_177200936rubbish.jpg
Rubbish on The Royal Mile
http://editorial.jpress.co.uk/web/Upload/SCOT/TH3_177200936rubbish.jpg (javascript:%20ShowThumb(0);)
http://news.scotsman.com/images/1pixel_spacer.gif (javascript:%20ShowThumb(1);)
http://news.scotsman.com/images/1pixel_spacer.gif (javascript:%20ShowThumb(2);)
http://news.scotsman.com/images/1pixel_spacer.gif (javascript:%20ShowThumb(3);)
http://news.scotsman.com/images/1pixel_spacer.gif (javascript:%20ShowThumb(4);)
Published Date: 17 July 2009
By Ian Swanson
CITY leaders today said that giving in to union demands over the bin dispute would cost £60 million and mean up to 2,000 redundancies across the council.
Depute council leader Steve Cardownie accused the Unite union of being unwilling to work with the administration to resolve the dispute over controversial pay changes.
He said Unite's alternative proposals for bringing pay structures into line with gender equality laws were simply unaffordable without massive job losses.
The union hit back, however, saying the council was only willing to put in half as much money as other Scottish authorities to sorting out equal pay problems.
Refuse collectors have been operating a work to rule for the past three weeks, which has seen bins going uncollected and rubbish piling up in the streets, and Unite is now set to ballot hundreds of city staff on strike action.
Cllr Cardownie said the council was looking at "contingency plans" which would be announced depending on the outcome of the strike ballot. He said: "We have a solution to this dispute, and our door is open, but we are very disappointed that Unite don't want to work with us."
The dispute centres on plans to abolish the long-established bonus system which sees binmen paid a standard £7,000 on top of their official basic salary of £12,000, which is also supplemented by overtime. Instead, the council says it wants to bring in a basic salary of about £15,000 with a further £4,500 on offer in return for "flexible working", which would end the need for significant overtime payments.
The council says the union's alternative – consolidating the current bonus into basic pay and bringing other workers up to the same level – is not practical.
Cllr Cardownie said: "The unions agree we can't go on with our current pay system. It needs to be fair for the sake of staff and to protect taxpayers' money from millions of pounds worth of equal pay claims.
"The unions' solution would add £60m to our annual wage bill and could see up to 2,000 staff made redundant, and that's on top of the £90m savings we need to find in the next three years as a result of the savings required by the UK government."
But Sandy Smart, regional organiser of the Transport and General Workers' section of Unite, said: "I'm amazed Steve Cardownie has the cheek to and say this. We are not asking for a pay rise – we're just wanting to have the same wages we're getting.
"In every other authority in Scotland there has been six to 12 per cent of the total pay bill put in to resolve this – adjusting bonuses, shift payments and overtime allowances. Edinburgh is only willing to put in three per cent.
"They have been more interested in new seats for the City Chambers and robes for Jenny Dawe.
"We're happy to meet, but there is no point in going into a meeting if they are not prepared to deal with us properly and seriously."
• Householders are being advised to leave their bin out if it is not collected on the normal day and it should be collected it as soon as possible. Trade waste customers are advised that if waste is not collected, to remove it from the kerbside and re-present it on the next scheduled collection day.