SYDNEY WASTE WORKERS TO TAKE INDUSTRIAL ACTION FRIDAY AS COMMUNITY’S WORKFORCE, SERVICE TRASHED
Warringah waste workers will start industrial action on Friday following
garbage contractor United Resource Management (URM)’s repeated refusal
to negotiate with the TWU, over local waste workers losing $200 per week
in pay.
“We deeply regret the inconvenience this will cause to Warringah residents, but while URM refuse to negotiate we have no other course of action,” said TWU Assistant State Secretary Bruce Penton.
“We have been trying to negotiate with URM for months to get a collective agreement for these workers but they continue to refuse.
“The rot is now spreading through Sydney, and it has to stop.
“This follows URM’s refusal to meet with us and negotiate the conditions of waste workers on the City of Sydney contract which they took over in March.
“All we ask for is URM to do the right thing and address this issue together with our union for a fair outcome.
“Warringah residents deserve to have this fixed, because along with URM’s mistreatment and underpayment of the displaced local workforce when they take over a council contract, they have many other ways to save money as a lowest-cost contractor.
“URM are well known for late and missed collections which were reported by residents when they took over the City of Sydney contract.
“Residents in Warringah and City of Sydney deserve better, and our workers deserve better. They have families to feed and only want a fair day’s wage for doing a job which is, frankly, hard, heavy and dirty work.”
URM has most recently come to attention on the Northern Beaches when one of its trucks caused this week’s oil spill in Rathowen Pde, Killarney, reportedly due to a faulty hydraulic oil hose.
This announcement comes in the face of a rate rise for Warringah residents.
ENDS
Media contact: Tanie Sansey 0410 525 869 / 9912 0703
“We have been trying to negotiate with URM for months to get a collective agreement for these workers but they continue to refuse.
“The rot is now spreading through Sydney, and it has to stop.
“This follows URM’s refusal to meet with us and negotiate the conditions of waste workers on the City of Sydney contract which they took over in March.
“All we ask for is URM to do the right thing and address this issue together with our union for a fair outcome.
“Warringah residents deserve to have this fixed, because along with URM’s mistreatment and underpayment of the displaced local workforce when they take over a council contract, they have many other ways to save money as a lowest-cost contractor.
“URM are well known for late and missed collections which were reported by residents when they took over the City of Sydney contract.
“Residents in Warringah and City of Sydney deserve better, and our workers deserve better. They have families to feed and only want a fair day’s wage for doing a job which is, frankly, hard, heavy and dirty work.”
URM has most recently come to attention on the Northern Beaches when one of its trucks caused this week’s oil spill in Rathowen Pde, Killarney, reportedly due to a faulty hydraulic oil hose.
This announcement comes in the face of a rate rise for Warringah residents.
ENDS
Media contact: Tanie Sansey 0410 525 869 / 9912 0703