Jobs face the axe at recycling firm as council downsizes contract
A new contract with Doncaster Council has put jobs at recycling group Suez at risk.
According to Unite the union, 112 staff will be made redundant by October, with 20 long-term agency workers also included in cuts. Suez has confirmed that it is in consultation with a number of staff, but has not confirmed how many.
Unite is preparing to ballot for industrial action in opposition to the planned cuts, saying that Suez failed to consult with the union before announcing the redundancies. It said the company was planning to reduce refuse collections from a five day a week programme to a four day a week operation, with fewer recycling collections during the year.
SUEZ Recycling and Recovery UK responded to the allegations by the union, saying that it had negotiated a new contract with Doncaster Council in June 2017, which will see them involved in a “new, simpler, system” of recycling in the town.
Unite is currently balloting the workforce for strike action over pay. The company had made a pay offer of 2%. It said in reality most workers would see no increase in take home pay as the increase was conditional on the removal of guaranteed overtime for a series of tasks including vehicle inspections. The bay ballot closes on Monday 31 July.
Unite regional officer Shane Sweeting, said: “If these redundancies take place then residents need to brace themselves for dirty streets. The company is barely able to meet its targets with a five day a week service, there is no way it can keep the streets clean on a four day operation with half the staff.
“Suez failed to consult with Unite prior to announcing these redundancies and has shown no inclination to minimise their huge effect on a workforce which has been dedicated in keeping Doncaster clean and tidy. As a consequence Unite is preparing to ballot for industrial action.
“If Doncaster council is serious about improving the local environment and seeking city status it needs to step in and resolve this issue. The council cannot sit on its hands and allow the borough to go to rack and ruin.”
SUEZ Recycling and Recovery UK said in response: “At the end of June 2017 SUEZ recycling and recovery UK was awarded a new contract to provide recycling and refuse collection services to Doncaster Council, following a lengthy procurement process.
“Talks are still ongoing between SUEZ and Doncaster Council to finalise the terms of the new contract, and these changes will be explained to residents in the coming months.
“Although we are pleased to have been awarded the contract, and continue to serve Doncaster residents, the proposed changes to the collection system unfortunately has the potential to impact the way the contract is staffed and how resources are deployed when the new contract begins next year. Therefore, as of mid-July, members of staff employed on the current Doncaster contract have received notice of the start of a ninety-day consultation period, which could result in redundancies next year.
“However, the purpose of the consultation is to determine how the needs and commercial realities of the new contract can be balanced against the best interests of existing staff.
“These discussions have, of course, involved union members and officials from the earliest opportunity.
“Separately, and prior to the award of the new contract, union members employed on the contract have requested a significant pay increase for the second time in the past year, after SUEZ last agreed a pay award in 2016.
“We continue to negotiate on this point, but understand the union is in the process of balloting for strike action prior to the outcome of these negotiations.”
