refuse collection
Articles about work, policy and workers' struggles in the service sector, as distinct from retail, energy and communications.
Greece heading towards general strike
Greek workers are set to go on general strike tomorrow (Wednesday 19th March) in protest of the government's planned pension reforms.
The government's reforms would mean the merging of pension funds and increasing the pension age for some workers. The government, however, has not made public any details on the size of savings that will accrue from the reforms. The trade unions have also argued that the current pension system could survive if bosses were made to pay their contributions.
Workers continue to fight for their pensions in Greece
Walkouts by public sector workers against the pension reform bill are continuing, with a 24-hour general strike expected on Wednesday.
Last Wednesday saw a three-hour general stoppage called by the General Confederation of Workers of Greece (GSEE), during which doctors, engineers, pharmacists and lawyers joined bank workers and rubbish collectors already on strike. The day ended with a march on parliament attended by hundreds of workers.
Victory for Brighton bin wildcat
After two days on wildcat strike, refuse workers at Brighton's Hollingdean Depot have won their fight against management bullying.
The striking bin staff had been complaining about management bullying after staff refused to double their workload due to lack of vehicles and under-staffing. As part of what workers called management's "bully tactics", four refuse workers had been moved onto different crews sparking anger amongst the depot and leading to the wildcat action.
Brighton refuse workers on wildcat strike
200 refuse and recycling workers from Brighton and Hove City Council walked out today over management bullying.
Staff at the Hollingdean Depot downed tools on Wednesday morning in retaliation to having tightly-knit crews broken up by managers. Four men have reportedly been moved from one lorry to another as management try to address the problem. Another worker said his cousin, who also works at the depot, had been "punished" for having time off sick by being put onto another shift.
Canada: support workers strike at New Brunswick Community College
500 workers, including lab technicians and canteen, security and cleaning staff, are currently striking over pay.
The workers, members of local 1251 of the public service union have been striking since January 10th; pay negotiations broke down at the end of November and no new negiotiations were scheduled.
Refuse workers take to the streets
Bin men and women blockaded roads around Waltham Forest Town Hall earlier this week to protest at proposed pay cuts of up to £8,000 each.
The local Guardian reported that refuse workers fear they will not be able to pay their mortgages or look after their children if the cuts go ahead, and are threatening to strike.
China: man killed for filming repression
Wei Wenhua (41), who was filming clashes between villagers and officials on his camera phone, died after a beating from the goverment officials.
Mr Wenhua was attacked on Monday in the village of Wanba, outside of Tianmen City in the central Hubei province. Villagers were protesting against the dumping of rubbish on a wasteland site by their homes by the city's refuse service, claiming it was polluting the air and local water supply.
Bin workers fight cuts with unofficial work to rule
Refuse collectors in Breckland began taking on-the-job action on Monday in a dispute over job cuts.
The Watton and Swaffham Times reported that rubbish is mounting up outside homes in Breckland because binmen are locked in an industrial dispute.
Waste went uncollected at a number of properties on Monday and there are fears the bin backlog could spread to other homes in the district after its rubbish collection teams began a “work to rule”.
Gaza: public sector strike spreads
Since last week, 15,000 public sector workers across the Gaza Strip's five biggest towns have walked out in protest at unpaid wages.
The strike began on Saturday, when workers in Gaza City walked out over 6 months of unpaid wages, and since then this has grown to include 15,000 people.
The International Herald Tribune reported:
France: Binmen strike over pay
An indefinite strike was called called yesterday by bin men in the Ile de France region.
The workers from Sita, the second largest private refuse collection company in France, are calling for a 3% rise backdated to January the first and a further 1% from the first of July. 180 comunes in the region will be affected as well as three of the 20 departments in Paris.*
