Islington Council has acted swiftly to minimise disruption to residents, after GMB union members working for the council's rubbish and recycling collection contractor staged a one-day strike today (Tuesday 18 September).<br><br>The union leaders' decision to strike - which Cllr Lucy Watt, Deputy Leader of Islington Council, has branded 'indefensible' - will affect residents due to have their rubbish collected today - around 10 per cent of the borough's households. The strike will not affect recycling collections or collections from housing estates. <br><br>Islington Council has hand-delivered leaflets to all affected households today, apologising for any disruption to their rubbish collection, and advising them that the council will ensure their rubbish is collected within 48 hours. <br><br>The strike follows a local dispute between the council's contractor, ICSL Accord, and their staff GMB union members, over changes to Islington's rubbish and recycling collection service that started last week. The changes are part of the council's major improvements to recycling and rubbish collections for residents, and do not 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 they have taken things this far. 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 this week. <br><br>"Islington Council has introduced a new, improved recycling and rubbish collection service for residents. We've changed the way our residents get their recycling and rubbish 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 a 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 have created twenty new jobs with 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>GMB union leaders also plan 'working-to-rule' action from tomorrow (Wednesday 19 September). Islington Council will continue to work hard to minimise any impact to residents. <br><br>ENDS<br><br><br><br><br>
Page Last Updated: 17 December 2009