Sheffield bin collections: Veolia workers strike begins with "no end date" over union recognition dispute

Some bin collections in Sheffield will be affected from Tuesday (August 20) as workers for Veolia, which provides services for the Sheffield Council, take to the picket line.

No end date to the strike has been confirmed yet, according to Sheffield City Council.

Workers previously went on strike from July 29 until August 2.

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Why are Veolia’s staff going on strike?

Unite said in July that Veolia drivers and loaders were ‘furious’ that their employer was refusing to recognise the union.

Around 80 per cent of the workforce at the Lumley Street depot are members of Unite, the union said. But Veolia says it is more like 47 per cent of staff and the issue is a “dispute between Unite the Union and the GMB”.

A spokesperson for Veolia said: “At Veolia’s Sheffield Integrated Waste Contract we have a long-standing recognition agreement with the GMB, with the majority of the workforce being GMB members”. 

Unite said it had a national agreement with Veolia across the UK but, without an agreement in place in Sheffield, the union cannot negotiate over issues members’ pay, conditions and safety at work.

Sharon Graham, Unite general secretary, said in July: “Our members are rightly angry at such game-playing and, having exhausted all negotiations, are taking to the picket line to state their case. Unite will be backing them 100 per cent of the way.”

GMB Union has been contacted for comment.

What has Veolia said?

A spokesperson for the company said today (August 16): “We are sorry if you are experiencing any delays to your bin collections and we are working hard to minimise any disruption to residents’ services.

“We are calling for Unite the Union and the GMB to immediately engage with the Trade Union Congress to find a resolution to this fight over membership and recognition so our people can keep delivering outstanding services to the people of Sheffield.”

Veolia will be providing updates on services here.

What do I need to do with my bins?

• Black, blue and brown bins - Put out before 7am on their scheduled collection day. Black bins will be collected as a priority. Leave the bin out until it has been emptied.
• Green garden waste bin - All collections have been suspended between 19-25 August to prioritise collection of all other waste and recycling bins. Alternative arrangements are being reviewed and residents will be contacted in due course. Garden waste sign-ups are also temporarily suspended.
• Clinical waste collections - not affected.
• Bulky waste collections and bin deliveries - Will be delayed until further notice. No new bookings can be made during this time. Where new properties have not yet received bins, sacks will be collected until their bin is delivered.
• Bring sites - Will be closed during strike action. Waste and recycling should not be left at the sites and excess recycling can be taken to the Household Waste and Recycling Centres across Sheffield as normal. Any waste left at bring sites will be treated as fly-tipping. CCTV is in operation and anyone caught fly-tipping will receive a £400 fine.
• Household Waste Recycling Centres - All sites across the city will be open as normal and full list of sites is on the Veolia website. 

Councillor Joe Otten, chairman of the Waste and Street Scene Policy Committee, said: “We wish to reassure residents that we are doing all we can, alongside Veolia, to limit disruption to bin collections and have put a range of measures in place to ensure you are not heavily impacted.”

Veolia said its crews are working additional hours including over the weekend to empty bins as soon as they can.