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Bin workers in Waltham Forest are poised to strike after overwhelmingly rejecting a "poor" pay deal, a dispute that is sending shockwaves across other London boroughs. The GMB union, representing employees of subcontractor FCC Environment, confirmed a 100% rejection of a 2.8% pay offer, which they say fails to include the lowest-paid staff recently placed on the London Living Wage. A subsequent 3.2% offer, still excluding these essential workers and falling below inflation, is also being resisted.
The unrest is not just about wages. Workers have also raised concerns over inadequate facilities and a lack of bottled water during hot weather, highlighting a broader dissatisfaction with their treatment. Adam Waclawczyk, a refuse worker, said: “We work hard to keep the borough clean – we deserve to be paid fairly and treated with respect.” GMB organiser Mary Goodson has made it clear that strike action is a real possibility unless a fairer deal is reached for all members.
While Waltham Forest Council maintains that pay discussions are between the union and its contractor, the looming strike mirrors a wider wave of industrial action sweeping across the capital. Recent and ongoing disputes involving bin workers in other boroughs demonstrate a shared struggle. In Croydon, bin workers have recently held strikes, causing significant disruption, while in Haringey, a long-running dispute over pay and conditions has led to repeated walkouts. The situation in Newham has also seen threats of strike action over pay and terms.
These collective actions highlight a common frustration among London’s frontline public service workers, who feel their pay is not keeping pace with the city's soaring cost of living. The mounting pressure on local authorities to address these concerns suggests that the Waltham Forest dispute could be a sign of a far-reaching crisis in London's waste management and other essential services.
