Strike to disrupt bin and leisure services

According to the GMB Union the strike on Thursday, July 10, will affect bins collection, street cleansing, leisure services and other professional services.

Only burials and registration of deaths will be exempt.

The strike follows a one per cent pay offer and a ballot by members in favour of industrial action.

Craigavon Council said there will be no blue, brown or green bin collections on Thursday, July 10.

A notice said blue bins normally collected on Thursday will be collected on Friday, July 11 with normal blue bin collections taking place.

Brown bins normally collected on July 10 will be collected on Friday, July 11. This will have a knock-on effect and brown bins normally collected on Friday, July 11 will not be collected until dates between Wednesday, July 16 and Friday, July 18.

The council has urged householders to leave the bins out until they are emptied.

Green bins will not be collected on July 10 or on July 11. These bins will be collected on Thursday, July 17 or Friday, July 18.

“Alternatively you can put the waste in the blue bin,” said the council.

Fairgreen and Newline Recycling Centres will be closed on July 10.

There will be no street cleansing on July 10 with the town centres only being cleaned on Friday, July 11.

“It will not be known until the 10th July which other facilities will be closed. However, Council is advising customers to assume that most centres will be closed,” said the notice.

John Dawson of the GMB Union said, “Following a derisory pay offer of one per cent which follows the one per cent last year which followed the three-year pay freeze, a ballot of the trade inion members returned a 73 per cent in favour of industrial action.

“This will involve refuse collection, street cleansing leisure and other professional services. There are exemptions for burials and registration of deaths.”

He added, “This government have made this derisory offer to the hard working public servants whilst awarding themselves obscene pay increases.

“We would ask the public to support these public servants who provide a service no matter the weather or political climes that surround us.”

Residents are advised to check facebook/craigavonbc and twitter.com/craigavonc for the latest information.