Workers form picket line
11:34am Wednesday 16th July 2008
Street cleaners and refuse collectors have formed a picket line outside a Watford depot site, as part of the national UNISON strike action over pay.
The Watford Borough Council employees, who work at the Wiggenhall Depot in Wiggenhall Road, have described the Government's pay offer of 2.45 per cent as "a kick in the teeth".
More than 600,000 local Government workers have taken strike action, which is due to end by Friday.
UNISON’s pay claim is for a six per cent or 50p an hour increase, whichever is the greater.
Dave Clancey, 35, of the Meriden Estate, is taking part in the 48-hour strike.
He said: "I have been a street cleaner for almost ten years and have two young kids.
"Everything has gone up due to inflation and I cannot afford to live on what I am earning.
"We are striking because we want to show unity.
"I do not want to strike, but feel it is the only way they will listen to what we need.
"I cannot afford a car, and with a family to look after, my salary makes it very difficult.
"The pay increase they have offered would make little difference, only about £400 a year.
"The pay increase we are asking for, even four per cent, would make things a lot easier for us."
Trevor Parry, 44, of Watford, has been a street cleaner for more than two years.
He said: "It is wrong, for the past three or four years we have not had any increase in our pay.
"In real terms we have had a pay cut.
"What they have offered is like a kick in the teeth, we hope that this strike action will mean they negotiate a higher pay rise for us."
Some of the workers said they are also angry with the amount school dinner staff and other local Government workers receive.
They say they are striking on their behalf too, and many others would have joined the picket line if they could have afforded to lose the two days pay.
Clive Brown, who has been a refuse loader for six years, said: "We hope to achieve a decent pay rise, which we have not had for ten years.
"It would make our lives more manageable, especially with the rise in the cost of living.
"We did not want to strike, but feel we have been pushed into a corner and forced into action.
"I have ten-year-old twins and a 13-year-old and need the pay increase to survive."
Have you been affected by the strike? Has your rubbish been collected? Is your child's school closed?
Leave your comments below.
Your Say YourWatford
barbelybob, garston says...
5:45pm Wed 16 Jul 08
"Trevor Parry, 44, of Watford, has been a street cleaner for one year.
He said: "It is wrong, for the past three or four years we have not had any increase in our pay."
What concern is the past 3 or 4 years pay stucture to somebody who has only been there a year?
Council workers do very little for their wages and remember we are talking binmen here,not exactly captains of industry,so why should they be payed silly money.If people want huge salaries,they should go to school,work hard and get a well paid job.Not sit on your arse all day,feel unfulfilled and try and force the government to pay Rocket scientist wages to thick binmen....
nos, watford says...
8:28pm Thu 17 Jul 08
Mr.T, Ricky says...
8:56am Fri 18 Jul 08
barbelybob wrote:Knob.
If they are not happy with the pay and conditions that they signed a contract for...simpley get another job but they wont do that because as with the postal workers,the council workers know they will have to graft at another job.These people make me sick,you just have to read the article above for this chestnut"Trevor Parry, 44, of Watford, has been a street cleaner for one year.He said: "It is wrong, for the past three or four years we have not had any increase in our pay."What concern is the past 3 or 4 years pay stucture to somebody who has only been there a year?Council workers do very little for their wages and remember we are talking binmen here,not exactly captains of industry,so why should they be payed silly money.If people want huge salaries,they should go to school,work hard and get a well paid job.Not sit on your arse all day,feel unfulfilled and try and force the government to pay Rocket scientist wages to thick binmen....
monkeyem2008, Watford says...
12:54pm Fri 18 Jul 08
In reponse to Barbely bobs ridiculous statement, it's self assured, arrogant and narrow minded people like yourself that make me sick. I went to School and worked hard and still do but i do not have what i would call a well paid job that reflects what i do but that is through no fault of my own, it's down to the fat cats who are able to spend double my wages on taxi fares alone and then offer a 2.45% increase to those that clean up after YOU. And no i do not work for the council!!
How stereotypical to call binmen and recycling operatives thick when they are anything but. Has it ever occurred to you that these ladies and gents may be doing this job whilst studying or that some of them may have worked previously as "rocket scientists"
How can it be compared to someone working in a bar? I've done that job and it certainly doesn't require a rocket scientist to pull a pint. Regarding the comment of these guys sitting in a bar all afternoon, i assume that you have witnessed all the workers from Watford Coucil doing this? Let's not forget that just because these guys finish early afternoon does not mean that they work less hours. They work 37.5 hours a week if not more. On top of that they have to be subjected to complaints from small minded people who have nothing else to worry about then if a lid has been put back into a box. Not to mention the tirade of abuse they face if they get in the way of other road users!
At the end of the day do you want your rubbish and recycling collected? You're obviously too educated and intelligent to get off your arse and do a job you deem is idiots work, then let these guys get on with it and keep your unintelligent and insignificant comments to yourself . Let's face it they are smart enough to have union representation.
Well done guys for all your hard work to date, you certainly have my support and those with the brain capacity to realise your worth will also know you're not the thick ones!!
Wilkinson, Watford says...
4:17pm Fri 18 Jul 08
I agree Barbelybob should not be bringing these people's education into question, however, he does raise a valid point in relation to Trevor Parry. Why take a job where you know that the conditions are not going to be for you?
I go back to my original post, when i talk about the same thing occuring in the private sector, particularly to shop workers. Why should we feel any sorrier for the council bods than these poor people?
crazyfrog, Rickmansworth says...
5:33pm Fri 18 Jul 08
twats like you should jog-on and get a life
hellion73, watford garston says...
10:41pm Fri 18 Jul 08
barbelybob, garston says...
5:27am Sat 19 Jul 08
If the jobs paid so badly,why apply for it?
Why is it people get a job and then bleet about the conditions,change job,simple
barbelybob, garston says...
5:29am Sat 19 Jul 08
barbelybob, garston says...
5:52am Sat 19 Jul 08
oncidering the mother of all recessions is on us.
Crazyfrog..you aint seen nothing yet and im bullet proof to insults,keep sqeezing them spots and maybe when you are old enough to work,you might understand.You say these people have families to support,so do people who work in burger king mate,yet you will never see them strike,its a case of if you dont like the job,theres the door...I will agree on one point,the binmen and strr
eet cleaners do graft,its the lazy fat sh1ts in the desk jobs that make me ill,all they care about from the minute they get to work is what time the sandwich van comes...bring it on plebs
Meriden Boy, Watford says...
8:51am Sat 19 Jul 08
Appreciate you used to be a ****head and convict but we are the plebs! and obviously would have used your dole money and rent allowance from the council to fund it and those lazy desk job council workers would have been abused by yourself when you didnt get your money and thanked when you did, so remember that they do a sh!t job being abused all day by the likes of yourself and dont receive a great pay packet but provide a service that allows the alkies and druggies to waste their money, who i may add are very grateful when they get their money but when they dont they verbally and physically abuse staff, who dont shout about it, but I think they deserve a pay increase in line with inflation at least.NOT A LOT TO ASK.Is IT? signed PLEB
barbelybob, garston says...
11:19am Sat 19 Jul 08
Meriden Boy wrote:You assume a lot for a pleb.For one i have never been out of work in nearly 24 years since leaving school and i own my house.Ive never had a brilliantly paid job and most of what i earn is through plain old sweat and tears and a bit of blood.As for you going on about alchoholics and druggies,thank this government for providing them for you along with the anti social behaviour we now experience on a day to day basis(its not just council workers,i bet burger king get there fair share of ar5eholes).You think you deserve a pay rise inline with inflation....dont we all pleb dont we all but the fact remains we arew about to have the mother of all recessions and its just not viable.Let the union lead you a merry dance and lose wages(lets face it the union lose nothing when your on strike)but you are in the same boat as everyone else but expect everyone else to fund a rise for you...priceless and very selfish and greedy but you only have to watch you lot rush the sandwich van to see the scale of the greed lol...I will say it one more time..if you dont like the pay and conditions,get another job where you do,it realy is that simple.Please dont give me that b0ll0cks that your doing a job you care about because you clearly dont..
Barleybob
Appreciate you used to be a ****head and convict but we are the plebs! and obviously would have used your dole money and rent allowance from the council to fund it and those lazy desk job council workers would have been abused by yourself when you didnt get your money and thanked when you did, so remember that they do a sh!t job being abused all day by the likes of yourself and dont receive a great pay packet but provide a service that allows the alkies and druggies to waste their money, who i may add are very grateful when they get their money but when they dont they verbally and physically abuse staff, who dont shout about it, but I think they deserve a pay increase in line with inflation at least.NOT A LOT TO ASK.Is IT? signed PLEB
Wilkinson, Watford says...
5:28pm Sat 19 Jul 08
In conclusion, i would still agree with Bob. If you don't like the pay and conditions of a job, don't take the job! Why sign a contract for a job if you did not agree with it's terms and conditions? There are plenty of other jobs out there in the private sector, why not choose one of those?
Public sector workers should not be able to disrupt public life in this manner, i fully understand these people have kids etc, but so does the man who works in Tesco for £6.50 p/h, who also has not had a pay rise in the previous four years and only an insulting 2% this. So what is the difference? apart from if he walks out in protest he loses his job!
Think on.........
Spencer Agneau, Sarratt says...
6:41pm Sat 19 Jul 08
gangerman, Watford says...
10:46am Sun 20 Jul 08
In your first tome you say, “simpley get another job but they wont do that because as with the postal workers, The council workers know they will have to graft”, then state later “ bin men and street cleaners do graft”.
If it was your idea to attack the council management then you should have read the first sentence of the report which would have given the clue that it was street cleaners and refuse collectors who were seeking a cost of living rise.
At sometime in your life you decided to offend against society and become a lazy, kept, inmate ( paid for by gorillas and guardianistas ) and have now become poacher turned gamekeeper spouting inane comments at hardworking law abiding citizens.
Congratulations on turning your world around and, thank society for giving you the chance to be able to do that and also offer you the opportunity to work to pay for your house, no mean feat in 24 years, thus indicating that you had healthy income! during that period. A position that is not achievable by many employees today.
You need to understand that a lot of the better working practices, from which you probably benefited, came from sacrifices that trade unionists made in times gone bye.
I have never been out of work in 40 years, own my house and have worked for the council for the last year.
Never read the Guardian so therefore must be a Gorilla, will look for your curtain twitching early a.m. on Thursday
Bomber, Oxhey says...
4:50pm Sun 20 Jul 08
barbelybob, garston says...
3:57pm Mon 21 Jul 08
Gangerman: You read between the lines too much and miss the obvious.I assume by me saying i was a CONVICT that you have JUMPED to the conclusion that i have spent time in prison,WRONG,simply convicted in a court of law.
gangerman, Watford says...
7:51pm Mon 21 Jul 08
barbelybob wrote:Sorry, not obvious, however substitute "and become a lazy, kept, inmate" with " and burdened the judiciary"
"At sometime in your life you decided to offend against society and become a lazy, kept, inmate ( paid for by gorillas and guardianistas )"Gangerman: You read between the lines too much and miss the obvious.I assume by me saying i was a CONVICT that you have JUMPED to the conclusion that i have spent time in prison,WRONG,simply convicted in a court of law.
barbelybob, garston says...
1:40pm Tue 22 Jul 08
It should be obvious from the word "CONVICT" meaning CONVICTED but hey,whos gonna argue,if you dont know you dont know.Still its a bit rich comming up with the above lol,have you led a clean life?no speeding or parking tickets...they all take time and money to sort out.How about tax credits and all that,they burden ME as im a single bloke who pays for everything i have,no handouts here,no scounging from this door pal.
Also what other inmate are there that arnt lazy,kept inmates?thats what an inmate is silly b0ll0cks KEPT.You see you know what inmate means yet i didnt call myself that and you get confused.Seems you have a selective memory.Ok mush...
barbelybob, garston says...
4:16pm Tue 22 Jul 08
Bomber wrote:Im not going to take anything someone called bomber has to say seriously lol.So you think because you praise them from the rooftops,im gonna change my opinion of them lol your dopier than you sound and i cant take any **** seriously who calls me Mr Twerpy,far too lightweight for me lol.Bomber using the words Mr Twerpy hahahahaha,you couldnt make it up.
Is there a bigger twerp than barbelybob from Garston? At a recent disabled forum I praised the street cleaners and staff at the Wiggenhall depot for their excellence. I stand by every comment I made. To the WORKERS of Watford B.C. I say ignore Mr Twerpy. Let him grieve the departure of the Tory candidate of Watford!
I couldnt give a sh1t about the Tory candidate as much as i couldnt give a monkeys chuff about any of them,they are all deceitful 8astards at heart..its part of the job.I thought id been called every name in the book but this is a first lol Im a Twerp.Thank you very much for such kind words...
Speedydog, Aquadrome says...
11:11pm Tue 22 Jul 08
barbelybob, garston says...
7:22am Wed 23 Jul 08
Speedydog wrote:From the Meriden speedyfrog from the Meriden....
Where did they dig barbelybob up from? I'd like to re-bury him in the Aquadrome!!!!!!!!
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Wilkinson, Watford says...
3:12pm Wed 16 Jul 08
Firstly, the people that are going to suffer the inconvenience are me and you (Joe Public) the very people who pay these council employees wages, now that is simply not fair.
Secondly, i really don't believe given the quality of work these people do, that they deserve any higher rise than say someone who works in a shop or a bar and certainly not the 6% asked for(the rate of inflation would be reasonable). Lets face it the streets are always filthy and the way the binmen throw those wheelie things around thus creating even more mess is deplorable. Private sector workers are also suffering from the current climate, but just have to put up with insulting below inflation wage increases, given that they don't enjoy the same union protection. In anycase public sector workers are usually on higher wages than shop assistants anyway!
This leads me on to my final point. Public Sector workers, in the main, enjoy more holidays than most and also receive better pensions at the end of it. The question these boys should be asking themselves when theyre in the pub this afternoon
"Is the glass half empty or half full?!"