South Tyneside Council takes bin strike action as fresh disruption looms

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South Tyneside Council has opened more than 2,000 new slots per week at its Recycling Village to help minimise the impact of fortnightly bin strikes this January.

As part of its contingency planning, an extra 1,800 slots each week have been added to the booking system in normal operating hours. In addition to this, Recycling Village opening hours are temporarily being extended for a two-week period – creating a further 350 slots per week.

The temporary opening hours of 8am to 7pm will run from Monday 8 January for an initial two-week period.

The number of visits per month for households with cars has also been doubled, from four to eight, while disruption continues.

A Council spokesperson said: “We know that people have been struggling to book a slot at our Recycling Village which is why we have been working closely with our partners at Suez to increase capacity at the site.

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“We hope that this temporary measure will help to ease the burden on households to manage and dispose of their excess waste.

“With the additional slots and demand high at this time, we expect there will be some small but manageable queues during this two-week period.

“We appreciate that not everyone can get to the Recycling Village and we would appeal to people’s community spirit to support friends, family and neighbours wherever possible.”

With around 10 per cent of people currently not turning up daily residents who are not able to attend their chosen slot are encouraged to cancel it so it can be made available to others.

Due to further strike action, no bins are being collected between Tuesday 9 to Friday 12 January inclusive and Tuesday 23 to Friday 26 January inclusive. GMB union members are striking during the first period and both GMB and UNITE union members are striking during the second.

To mitigate the impact of the same bin (grey household or blue recycling) being missed by repeated rounds of strike action, during non-strike weeks in January, residents are advised to present both their grey household and blue recycling bins on their scheduled collection day, and one will be collected.

If bins are not collected on their scheduled day, residents are advised to continue presenting their bins for collection Tuesday – Friday, from 7.30am.

In summary:

From Tuesday 9 January – Do not present any bins. No bin collections;
From Tuesday 16 January – Present both bins. One will be collected;
From Tuesday 23 January – Do not present any bins. No bin collections;
From Tuesday 29 January – Present both bins. One will be collected.

Bins may not be collected on residents’ scheduled collection days due to ‘action short of strike’ (‘working to rule’ and ‘go slows’). If in doubt, leave both bins out.

A Council spokesperson added: “This is an extremely challenging time for everyone. But please bear with us. We are doing everything we can to minimise the impact of the strikes and would urge people to support each other.

“We are sorry we have not been able to make alternative arrangements for bin collections. With an absent workforce and bound by the legislation that protects industrial action, our capabilities are limited.

“Our contingency planning continues and we are looking at what other measures we can put in place over the coming weeks.”

The January strikes are the third and fourth set of full-scale industrial action taken by the GMB and UNITE union members, who "wish to affect a change in Operational Management.”

“Action short of strike”, (“working to rule” and “go slows"), has been ongoing since November and continues to cause disruption.

The Council is undertaking a full and thorough investigation into matters raised by waste operatives, with the final report, which will be confidential to employees; the unions and the Council, expected to be shared with all parties in the coming weeks.

Industrial action by GMB and UNITE unions has proceeded ahead of the investigation being concluded or ACAS negotiations taking place.

For further information, including Frequently Asked Questions, visit the Council’s website at www.southtyneside.gov.uk