7.7.2023
Potential industrial action: Update and advice
Unite union members working on Somerset waste collections plan to take industrial action starting from Wednesday 12 July. They intend to strike on Wednesday, Thursday Friday, each week for the four weeks from Wednesday 12 July to Friday 4 August.
We hope industrial action can be avoided and will do everything practical to minimise disruption. However, if it goes ahead large numbers of missed collections will be unavoidable across all parts of the county.
***NOTE: Industrial action could be called off as late as Tuesday 11 July 2023 – if that happens collections would operate as normal***
We will prioritise collections of clinical waste, refuse and waste from communal properties and schools BUT this is no guarantee these collections will take place on time.
Recycling collections are much more likely to be missed as staff are redeployed. We will do our best to make sure everyone gets at least one recycling collection during the strike.
We do not plan to suspend garden waste collections but expect significant delays. We will make a decision about existing subscriptions when we know the full impact of strike action.
Throughout the strike www.somerset.gov.uk/strike will be the best place for the latest information about disruption and advice on how to manage waste when collections are missed. Please check it frequently.
All 16 of Somerset’s recycling sites will be open as usual and can take almost all the materials collected at the kerbside, as well as refuse as a last resort.
Please see https://www.somerset.gov.uk/bins-recycling-and-waste/waste-industrial-action/
for further information and key messages for the public.
Somerset Council Waste Services