Heartened by the recent gains by striking binmen in Bexley, including better pay, improvements in health and safety, full sick pay and the reinstatement of victimised workers, refuse and cleansing workers in Merton are pressing on with their own struggle for decent pay and conditions.
The Merton binmen have worked through the pandemic, serving the local community regardless of their own personal safety. The Labour council has ‘rewarded’ them with a derisory pay rise of 1.5 percent (a pay cut in real terms), the widespread use of zero-hour contracts, no proper sick pay and habitual bullying by management.
Despite over a hundred workers signing a petition requesting a meeting with the council to talk about zero-hour contracts, the council has just stonewalled.
The Workers Party of Britain denounces the Labour council’s treatment of these key workers and supports the Merton refuse workers in whatever form of resistance they decide to take.