Refuse workers consider goggle strike
The workers union GMB is organising a consultative strike ballot of its members employed by Kier Refuse Services in King’s Lynn and West Norfolk regarding a dispute over ‘unreasonable and irrelevant demands on the workforce’.
GMB states that workers employed by Kier for the waste and recycling services contract with the Borough Council of King’s Lynn and West Norfolk have been made to wear bump caps – caps lined with reinforcement materials – and goggles as part of their personal protection equipment.
The equipment, GMB states, is “causing more health and safety issues”, and that rather than making the workers safer, it is in fact making the job more dangerous.
Kier took over the refuse and recycling services in King’s Lynn and West Norfolk from Veolia in 2013. Since the TUPE (Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment)) transfer between the two, there have been a number of what GMB calls ‘aggravating issues’, including around imbalances, increased working hours and the amount of agency staff being used.
This is the second strike ballot that GMB has held concerning refuse workers in King’s Lynn in just over a year. In August 2014, the company made a final pay offer to the workforce of a 1.75 per cent pay increase over 15 months, in response to a demand for a four per cent increase over 12 months.
The offer was described as ‘insulting’ by GMB, and a strike date was agreed by the members, but strike action was avoided after the dispute was resolved during talks between the two parties.
Union members ‘being treated with contempt’
Glenn Holdom, GMB Regional Officer, said: “Members are now being targeted for disciplinary action for not wearing the hats and goggles. This is despite a strongly worded letter to the company from GMB Health and Safety officer John McClean saying that this equipment is not necessary and also in spite of a collective grievance being raised.
“In the absence of any consultation or agreement with no consideration being given to the impracticalities of wearing this equipment, the current position is causing more health and safety issues.
“Rather than make the job safer, by forcing members to wear goggles and caps in this circumstance Kier is making it more dangerous. Instead of trying to address the symptoms of a flawed operation in this counterproductive and dangerous way, Kier should talk urgently with GMB about how to deal with the causes, which GMB has been trying to do for months.
“Members have had enough and feel they are being treated with contempt. Many of the identified concerns have not been attended to in the last year, and their patience has evaporated. A consultative ballot of members on both contracts is currently taking place.
“This is on top of more blatant operational and vehicle issues that are not being attended to.”
Kier takes health and safety ‘very seriously’
In response to the GMB statement, a spokesperson for Kier said: “It is extremely disappointing that the GMB is planning a consultative ballot as Kier takes the concern of employee health and safety very seriously and we have robust procedures in place to protect our people and address any concerns.
“The union was fully consulted earlier in the year regarding the use of bump caps and goggles in line with our operational excellence policy, and it was with their agreement that the new standards of protection were implemented to ensure that our people continue to work in a safe environment.
“Since the roll-out, eye injuries have been reduced by nearly 50 per cent across the business, clearly demonstrating the safety improvements that the use of the new equipment brings to our employees.
“We have met with the GMB on a number of occasions over the last few weeks to discuss issues that the union has raised and which we have responded to, and we are committed to continuing our discussions with them.”
Read about GMB's previous strike ballot in Kings Lynn and West Norfolk.
