Union vows to 'escalate' campaign as bin strike ends

THE bin strike which hit thousands of waste collections across Armagh and district may have been suspended but the union involved has vowed to ‘escalate’ its campaign.

A top union official said the Unite union would escalate its fight through ‘legal avenues’, including an employment tribunal.

The union has also demanded a meeting with councillors calling for action on the ‘hostile environment members are experiencing at ABC council.”

Bin workers based at the council’s Armagh depot agreed to suspend their strike action last night (Thursday) but union members said they stand ready to defend representatives.

The union claimed ABC council senior management have presided over a ‘hostile environment’ for union reps and their behaviour is ‘shameful’.

A statement from the union said, “Unite members employed in waste collection at the Armagh depot have voted to suspend a seven-week strike taken in response to the sacking of their union rep.

“Unite has vowed to continue to pursue justice for its sacked shop steward through all available avenues, including at employment tribunal where the council will have to justify its decision.

In a meeting notifying management of the decision to suspend, union officials demanded the council conduct an audit into its industrial practices, which they have agreed.

The union has described the behaviour of senior council management at Armagh, Banbridge, Craigavon (ABC) council towards its team of workforce reps as ‘shameful’ and warned that any further aggression towards its reps or to the jobs, pay, terms and conditions of its members will be completely opposed by workers.

Unite regional secretary of Unite, Susan Fitzgerald said, “The workers who took strike action for seven weeks are to be congratulated for their solidarity with their rep and their union.

“Their integrity contrasts sharply with the behaviour of council bosses.

“Our members took a stand in defence of hard won union rights for all workers. Management needs to understand that an attack on any of our workforce reps is an attack on our union.

“Unite will now escalate our dispute through legal avenues; those who sacked our rep and then doubled down on that must be held to account.”

Unite the union is seeking to meet with local councillors to demand action on the hostile environment members are experiencing at ABC council.

Unite regional officer Brenda Stevenson said: “Our members return to work with their heads held high. The responsibility for this strike lies squarely with senior council management who have presided over a hostile environment for union reps.

“We want to thank the local community who overwhelmingly supported the bin workers and their fight to defend their union despite the impact this strike had on bin collections.”

News the strike had ended was released on Thursday evening in a joint statement between the council and the union which said, “A meeting took place today (5 Sept 2024) where there were differing views expressed as to industrial relations between Council Management and Unite the Union.

“Both parties agreed that a review would take place to address the issues raised between Management and Unite. In order for this to be facilitated, Unite agreed to suspend industrial action from 00.01 Friday, 6 September 2024.”

It’s understood an independent review process which had taken place had vindicated the council stance.