The Deputy Leader of Islington Council has slammed union leaders over a local dispute between the council's rubbish and recycling collection contractor, ICSL Accord, and their staff GMB union members. <br><br>GMB union leaders working for ICSL Accord notified their employer today that they are planning industrial action from next Tuesday (18 September). They plan to stage a one-day strike on Tuesday which will affect some residents' rubbish collections that day, followed by 'working-to-rule' action from Wednesday (19 September). <br><br>The union's threat follows changes to Islington's rubbish and recycling collection service which started this week - and are part of the council's major improvements to recycling and rubbish collections for residents. None of the changes involve any job losses or any changes to pay and conditions for ICSL Accord staff.<br><br>Cllr Lucy Watt, Deputy Leader and Executive Member for Environment, Islington Council said: "GMB's decision to strike is completely indefensible. I am dismayed that the unions are standing in the way of residents getting a service they want and I am extremely disappointed. We will ensure our contractor ICSL is working hard to keep any disruption to services to an absolute minimum, but I want to apologise to residents for any inconvenience they may experience next week. <br><br>"This week Islington Council introduced a new, improved recycling and rubbish collection service for residents. We've changed the way our residents get their rubbish and recycling collected in Islington, so residents can have all their green box recycling, kitchen waste, garden waste and their rubbish collected on the same day. All the recycling is collected in one, integrated vehicle. The new service is more convenient service for residents, with fewer vehicles on the streets, fewer vehicle miles travelled and fewer vehicle emissions. <br><br>"And as the success of the council's recycling programme means many more residents are now recycling, and our contractors are collecting far less rubbish, ICSL Accord have reduced the rubbish collection service by one round. But as part of our improvements to the recycling service, ICSL Accord created twenty new jobs and five extra vehicles so there have been no job losses and no changes to pay and conditions. GMB's decision to strike is frankly astounding.<br><br>"We will do everything within our power to keep disruption to a minimum and ensure that residents' rubbish is collected on time as far as possible." <br><br>ENDS<br><br><br><br>
Page Last Updated: 17 December 2009