Future garbage bin collection strikes are on the horizon for Canberrans. Photo: Region Media.
Negotiations over pay and conditions which could avert strike action are continuing between garbage collection company Suez and the drivers’ union, the Transport Workers Union (TWU). Both parties met yesterday with the Fair Work Commission (FWC) to try to find a solution to the six-month impasse.
The union is set to meet with its members tomorrow (25 November) when discussions will continue.
TWU ACT Secretary Klaus Pinkas said the union gave Suez “some things to think about” at their meeting on Monday (23 November).
Suez representatives also presented further options to the TWU in line with the FWC’s 18 November request that both parties reconsider their bargaining positions.
Both parties will meet with the commission again on 2 December.
Four days’ notice must be given before any industrial action, so the earliest day drivers could strike would be early next week. If drivers walk out again, it will be the fourth time in five weeks that some Canberra residents would miss out having their bins collected.
Mr Pinkas said the drivers had the support of the Canberra community.
“Garbos across the ACT have reported that the vast amount of feedback from local residents has been supportive. Drivers who work for Suez, picking up the bins in the ACT, are locals too. They work where they live,” Mr Pinkas said.
“In response to claims that garbos are being greedy, the TWU believes that it is a good idea that critical workers are well paid for the job they do. It is generally acknowledged that low wage growth is a problem in both the national and ACT economies.”
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However, Suez’s NSW General Manager of Collections and Logistics Paul Haslam says the company has been negotiating in good faith, going back to drivers with five different offers over the past six months.
Drivers received a 3.4 per cent pay rise this year, and Suez is offering a pay rise of 2 per cent in 2021, 3 per cent in 2022 and 3 per cent in 2023. The union wants 4 per cent each year.
The union is also negotiating for the restoration of a paid rest break after two hours of overtime and the better efficiency in managing matters taken to the human resources department.
Mr Haslam says that of the 2,500 employees the company has in Australia, some staff have not had an increase this year, while those on hourly rates have seen increases between 1 and 3 per cent.
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As usual Pinkas has got his head up his backside. Community support for his selfish actions is non existent!
“Chris Vlahos Mr Pinkas continues to be paid while the drivers lose their pay while on strike”
I understand he is actually paid by the ACT Government and not the TWU.
“Mr Pinkas said the drivers had the support of the Canberra community.”
No-one I’ve spoken to supports this. In a time where we’ve all had to make sacrifices, this industrial action is just unreasonable. Can’t they just be replaced?
Theyre being paid $37 and hour to sit in an air-conditioned cabin, lining up a hydrolic arm.. pushing a button then tipping off at the dump when full...
“the TWU believes that it is a good idea that critical workers are well paid for the job they do. It is generally acknowledged that low wage growth is a problem in both the national and ACT economies.”
There might have been a bit more justice in the first point in the days when garbos had to run, or at least trot, along behind the truck, and then hang on the outside in all weathers – things are a bit different now.
The second point is basically just a contemporary re-hash of the old wages arguments which ultimately boiled down to a question of which dog can/should chase its tail most quickly. It’s a mindset which got Australia into a lot of economic trouble, and which took a lot of sacrifice to get out of, in the days before the rest of the world started paying us ridiculous prices for the stuff which is dug out of the ground. We seem doomed to re-live that history.
When is the contract due for review?
As a pensioner who worked and paid my taxes and still am, wish I could get a pay rise.
Lee McDowall I agree, the liberal National federal government ignore pensioners & self funded retirees. The kick those at the coalface whilst enjoying 6.4 more supper than those they are trying to stop getting an increase of.5%!
I don’t hear Scotty telling us He will legislate for consistency between federal polies & workers
Unfortunately The TWU has all the power here, at least they waited until after the election for the strikes. Its the same union that look after some bus drivers and not others, and make sure we will never have a good weekend timetable.
No they didn't want to interfere with campaign, there are no issues here. whats happened since election in last month? potholes, grass, jail riot, hospital bypass, hospital fail rates released, rubbish not collected, myway card credit machines delayed. nice how all of this landed just 1 month after election labor doing a great job.
At 8% they have support
At 12%, they don’t.
No ‘critical worker’ in Australia is pulling in 4% annual pay increases.
Farg Gough yes they are
Not a great deal of evidence in your response Brian Windsor.
Care to elaborate? Cite a source?
So, is it being collected tomorrow or what?
David Warwick wanniassa was picked up today
Teachers better rethink when they say you can't make a living looking out a window
Just get back to work and stop holding the community to ransom. TWU needs to look at whats affordable and workers need to understand it too. CPI is fair. The aim of union is to not make the employee worse off but now they hold the community to ransom with thug like mentality
Shayne, CPI is not fair. It once was, but the methodology changed years ago. CPI is simply a measure of inflation now.
Wage Price Index is a fairer measure. ✅
Shayne Borger CPI is not a wage increase it’s just keeping up with inflation. Union members vote to take protected industrial action. The TWU represents the wishes of its members. We have the most restrictive industrial laws in the free world so exercising their only legal right to get a better deal for themselves every three or four years is not thuggish behaviour. SUEZ could just agree to a better deal, maybe they are the thugs
Shayne Borger how about you call Suez and tell them to pay the workers,
So they can keep up with the cost of living...which no matter what Suez give them won't be enough,cause everything is going up
Veg up
Health care up fuel up
Insurance up
And on and on
So do the community a favour lobby Suez to do a deal so we can all get our garbage collected
I heard the truck this morning in Gordon, so fingers crossed when I get home, both bins have been emptied!
In capitalism it doesn't matter what you think a job is worth, what matters is the amount of people who are willing to do it at a certain price. Yes, some careers pay more then you might expect, and others less, but this is to do with how many people want to do that job, rather than the difficulty of the job itself. Why do Nurses and Teachers get paid less than Garbage truck drivers? Because more people want to be Nurses and Teachers.
I think people need to be mindful of there comments. It is only speculation what these guys get paid. Do they get a base salary so if they work more hrs one week they get the same money? Also what are the conditions they are working in. I mean it’s not like they drive around in air conditioned trucks as I have ever noticed the windows open. Also the heat and stench in the hottest part of the yr. so next time you want to comment you are only speculating
Harry Vallianos no its realy not, its pretty well on the money
Don’t see many other sectors getting a 4% pay rise each year...
Mr Pinkas said the drivers had the support of the Canberra community.
Do they? Most people haven’t had a pay increase this a couple of years (non APS) and would be delighted to get 3.4% the year and 8% over the next 3 years.
Even the APS who have be getting 2% or less a year (after protracted negotiations) would be delighted with the deal offered by Suez.
Most people are either not in a union or are in a crap one. The TWU have always fought for its members. SUEZ has an on-going contract with the government and would have had employee wages and conditions and contingencies for increases factored into the tender process.
Employers want to pay the least amount possible and employees want to earn as much as possible, such is the nature of bargaining. The only bargaining tool employees have is the withdrawal of its labour.
Phil,
Suez do not have an ongoing contract with the ACT government.
And yes, employees do have the right to negotiate but if they aren’t being reasonable, they also might find themselves unemployed.
Suez has a contract that commenced in 2013 and expires 2023, worth $180million. They have 5 other contracts worth around $12million.
An employee in the ACT cannot be terminated on the grounds that they are taking protected action. You cannot be made redundant for the same reason. If redundancies are legitimate, employees must be paid out all of their entitlements. Any incoming contractor could not deny a driver who worked for the previous contactor, a job, based on that employee taking protected industrial action with the previous contractor.
If SUEZ believes the employees’ demands are unreasonable, they can apply to the Fair Work Commission for dispute resolution. Subject to the terms of an existing enterprise agreement, this may include arbitration. The Commission can take into account, existing contracts, financial statements and other labour and commercial market forces.
Classic TWU recruitment campaign. I bet all Suez drivers are now members...
Well the union are telling lies as usual, because I’ve seen barely anybody supporting this extortion for unreasonable pay rises.
"The union is also negotiating for the restoration of a paid rest break after two hours of overtime and the better efficiency in managing matters taken to the human resources department.
Mr Haslam says that of the 2,500 employees the company has in Australia, some staff have not had an increase this year, while those on hourly rates have seen increases between 1 and 3 per cent."
Important part of the article, folks. Read the whole thing.
Anne O'Hara blame Suez for not coming to an agreement with the workers, not the workers for striking.