Barking and Dagenham Council’s bin lorry drivers are on on strike over propsed cuts to their overtime, which according to trade union, GMB, would equate to an annual pay cut worth £1,000.
Members of the GMB trade union have been on strike since Wednesday 18 March over the proposed changes by the council, which include a cut to staff pre-start check times, which are carried out before normal working hours and classified as overtime, from 30 to 15 minutes.
Staff are currently paid for these checks, and would continue to be so if the changes are implemented.
A spokesperson from Barking and Dagenham Council said: “We are saddened and disappointed by the decision of a number of GMB members to take strike action over enhanced payments for drivers.
“Barking and Dagenham, like councils up and down the country, has had to make tough budget decisions and have had to balance protecting jobs and services while considering the impact of our decision on staff and residents.”
Keith Williams, senior organiser at GMB, added: “It beggars belief that a council that is attacking its own frontline workers with £1,000 a year wage cuts would spend money in an attempt to intimidate those same workers who are lawfully resisting a cut to their wages.
“In light of this, it is inconceivable how the council can find money for new spending on completely unnecessary measures against the same under threat workers who are simply exercising their democratic and lawful right to strike.”
The council said that even without overtime payments, its drivers would continue to earn 10% more than other London boroughs it has benchmarked.
