180 Wirral refuse collectors will receive a 3.5% pay rise, that will be backdated to April 2019, following on from talks with Unite and waste management business Biffa.
This pay deal means that no industrial action will be taken by Unite members during the Covid-19 (Coronavirus) pandemic.
The two parties also agreed that monthly payments will be introduced towards the end of 2020. Once introduced, employees will receive a one-off non-consolidated payment of 0.5% of their annual salaries.
A spokesperson at Biffa said: “Following constructive discussions we are pleased to have reached a mutually acceptable agreement. We would like to thank our local teams for their continued support.”
A spokesperson at Wirral Council said: “We are pleased that negotiations between Biffa and Unite have reached an agreement and are grateful to them for resolving this matter without impact on the service provided to Wirral residents.”
Steve Gerrard, regional officer at Unite the union, said: “This was a strong pay offer which finally met our member’s expectations and ended what has been a tense industrial period.
“Residents on the Wirral will be relieved to learn that their bin collection service will not be disrupted. Unite has stressed from the outset that this dispute could be resolved through meaningful negotiations and that has proved to be the case.
“Unite is hopeful that this deal will pave the way for improved industrial relations with Biffa in the future.”