Rubbish collectors announce fresh two-week strike in dispute over pay

Rubbish collectors announce fresh two-week strike in dispute over pay – to start the DAY AFTER the Queen’s state funeral

• Refuse workers at Newham Borough Council in east London will go on strike
• Members of Unite the union will walk out for two weeks from September 20 
• It comes weeks after another strike in borough from August 27 to September 3 
• Unite boss Sharon Graham accused the council of ‘peddling misinformation’
• Full coverage: Click here to see all our coverage of the Queen’s passing

Refuse workers in a London borough are vowing to stage a two-week strike in a dispute over pay – just weeks after a previous walkout left bins lying unemptied.

Members of Unite in the borough of Newham, east London, will walk out on September 20 – the day after the Queen’s funeral – it was confirmed today.

Unite disputed claims that the workers have been offered a pay deal of up to 17.9% by Newham Council, and insists it was worth a ‘measly’ £950 – and only if bank holidays are worked.

The union’s general secretary Sharon Graham said: ‘The borough needs to stop peddling misinformation and get on with the job of negotiating an end to the strike.

‘Obviously the workers would not be on strike if these claims about huge pay rises were real.

‘The workers are now prepared to take strike action for a further two weeks. They have Unite’s complete support.’

The announcement was made on the same day the nation watched a moving ceremony of the monarch’s coffin moved into Westminster Hall.

Refuse workers in a London borough are vowing to stage a two-week strike in a dispute over pay – just weeks after a previous walkout left bins lying unemptied (Pictured: Refuse workers strike in Newham on September 1)

Members of Unite in the borough of Newham, east London, will walk out on September 20 – the day after the Queen’s funeral – it was confirmed today

The fresh strike action involves around 130 loaders and drivers. The last walkout lasted from August 27 to September 3 after 99 per cent of members voted in favour of industrial action.

It comes on the day Queen’s coffin arrives at the Palace of Westminster -the fifth day of official mourning.

Other unions have called off strikes recently out of respect for Queen Elizabeth II’s death and the subsequent 10 days of official mourning, which ends on September 19.

Royal Mail cancelled their second day of a 48-hour strike in a dispute over pay and conditions following the announcement.

Unite disputed claims that the workers have been offered a pay deal of up to 17.9% by Newham Council, and insists it was worth a ‘measly’ £950 – and only if bank holidays are worked

While rail workers had their plans to strike on September 15 and 17 suspended by the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers.

The Royal College of Nursing was planning to ballot its 300,000 members about industrial action on September 15, but these plans were paused due to the Queen’s death.

The summer has been dominated by industrial action, with rail walkouts in July and August by National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT), Transport Salaried Staffs Association (TSSA), ASLEF and Transport for London (TfL) causing widespread disruption to commuters.

Post Office workers affiliated with the Communication Workers Union (CWU) took industrial action on five days over August and September. BT and Openreach workers also striked in a dispute over pay, adding to the swathes of industrial action this summer by hundreds of thousands of union members.

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