Cityclean Industrial Action

[wellquickwoody]

Loving the just a binman! You try driving a bin waggon round Brighton see how unskilled it is. Prehaps try the massive amounts of fitness it takes to be on a bin route the distance the blokes walk is massive for a start.

Fitness? 10 miles a day walking makes you fit I guess, cheaper than the gym. The rest of the job involves pushing a wheelie bin to the back of the cab and pressing a button, not too tough is it?

And the drivers are actually arguing about being paid the same as other drivers in the council employ, as well as TA's.

 

[Westdene Seagull]

That is the current reason......when and if that becomes history there will be a new reason to strike.......has been so for the last 40 years.

Sack them all, get in a private contractor with the proviso of not using ex City clean employees for a minimum of 3 years.

The last time the council used a private contractor to run the service it was utter chaos. It would also be illegal for them not to TUPE the current staff across.

 

[Garage_Doors]

Thought they already on strike? our bins have stood on the kerbside for the last 3 weeks having not been collected.

 

[bobby baxter]

Fitness? 10 miles a day walking makes you fit I guess, cheaper than the gym. The rest of the job involves pushing a wheelie bin to the back of the cab and pressing a button, not too tough is it?

And the drivers are actually arguing about being paid the same as other drivers in the council employ, as well as TA's.

Just to clarify, the drivers havent been asked to take a pay cut, they believe they are worth more money than they currently earn, this is the reason for the current dispute.

The majority of drivers dont leave their cabs during the working day, minimum walking takes place.

There has to be an element of job evaluation in the public sector, if this process didnt take place the council will leave itself open to equal pay claims from employees and their union representatives, the union representing the drivers were perfectly happy and supported this arrangement, until now.

 

[Tarpon]

Just to clarify, the drivers havent been asked to take a pay cut, they believe they are worth more money than they currently earn, this is the reason for the current dispute.

The majority of drivers dont leave their cabs during the working day, minimum walking takes place.

There has to be an element of job evaluation in the public sector, if this process didnt take place the council will leave itself open to equal pay claims from employees and their union representatives, the union representing the drivers were perfectly happy and supported this arrangement, until now.

What he said.

 

[Guinness Boy]

Maybe, maybe not. My point being that a binman should be paid for being a binman and a TA should be paid for being a TA, hardly rocket science but it would appear to be beyond the public sector.

It's absolute mental. Would never happen in the private sector (or Germany ). There you go for a job, agree on a salary based on your experience and what the employer can pay and after that rises are normally based on performance (i.e. turning up and doing your job well as opposed to hiding behind a union). TA and bin man are as different a set of jobs as chef and shopkeeper or Call Centre Assistant versus hairdresser.

The inexperience of the Greens has really shown through in the way this has been (mis) managed. There might have been lovely improvements to the Dials and The Level and the cycling facilities within striking distance of the town centre and Muesli Mountain (all Green voting areas), but the majority of Brightonians will remember this tenure for uncollected rubbish and a shockingly awful recycling rate - something Greens should excel at.

 

[Chicken Run]

Because the jobs of a binman and a Teaching Assistant are so so similar aren't they ? ..... not !

I agree, a teaching assistant should earn more!

 

[Chicken Run]

In St Aubyns last Friday one of the 2 man communal bin wagon's rolls up to their next pick up, a taxi is double parked on it near the EF School, the driver stops, give one parp of his hooter and then ****s off to the next one up the road leaving this one to continue to overflow. I kid you not that bin is now overflowing. They are the laziest set of workers this city has the pleasure of paying.

 

[Westdene Seagull]

I agree, a teaching assistant should earn more!

Quite possibly but sadly the public sector are too stupid to see the differences.

 

[Tarpon]

It's absolute mental. Would never happen in the private sector (or Germany ). There you go for a job, agree on a salary based on your experience and what the employer can pay and after that rises are normally based on performance (i.e. turning up and doing your job well as opposed to hiding behind a union). TA and bin man are as different a set of jobs as chef and shopkeeper or Call Centre Assistant versus hairdresser.

The inexperience of the Greens has really shown through in the way this has been (mis) managed. There might have been lovely improvements to the Dials and The Level and the cycling facilities within striking distance of the town centre and Muesli Mountain (all Green voting areas), but the majority of Brightonians will remember this tenure for uncollected rubbish and a shockingly awful recycling rate - something Greens should excel at.

Hmmmmm. Equal pay legislation and liabilities meant this had to be dealt with (see link above). Previous Tory and Labour led council's didn't go near it. To give them some credit the Greens dealt with it and reduced / removed these liabilities. They are now trying to maintain this position. There appears to be little if any disagreement from the political opposition apart from a few cheap pre local election jibes. No argument on the recycling rates tho!

 

[Chicken Run]

Maybe, maybe not. My point being that a binman should be paid for being a binman and a TA should be paid for being a TA, hardly rocket science but it would appear to be beyond the public sector.

If for one moment the council agreed to this and payed people according to their skill, and then upped the pay for TA's this mob on the bins would strike again!

 

[Tarpon]

Quite possibly but sadly the public sector are too stupid to see the differences.

They're really not (too stupid).They have to adhere to equal pay legislation or be potentially liable for massive equal pay claims from employees. They don't essentially have a choice and could jeopardise the council's finances if they didn't apply a process to compare and value all jobs. Honest.

 

[Dave the OAP]

Because the jobs of a binman and a Teaching Assistant are so so similar aren't they ? ..... not !

...and pay tell me oh wise one, what does my wife do all day?

It will be interesting to know what your views are on this and to see just how accurate you are.....the floor is yours.

 

[burnee54]

...and pay tell me oh wise one, what does my wife do all day?

It will be interesting to know what your views are on this and to see just how accurate you are.....the floor is yours.

I don't know? Does she work on the bins?

 

[Westdene Seagull]

...and pay tell me oh wise one, what does my wife do all day?

It will be interesting to know what your views are on this and to see just how accurate you are.....the floor is yours.

I might not know the precise detail of what a TA does but you don't need to know to be able to tell a TA role is in no way similar to a binmans role. I doubt very much that a binman spends a huge amount of time on his round assisting children with learning. Likewise I doubt a TA spends much time during the working day emptying wheelie bins into the back of a dustcart. Unless of course you want to suggest otherwise ?

 

[Butch Willykins]

I honestly cannot think of an easier job than being a bin man. Skilled work my arse.

 

[Westdene Seagull]

They're really not (too stupid).They have to adhere to equal pay legislation or be potentially liable for massive equal pay claims from employees. They don't essentially have a choice and could jeopardise the council's finances if they didn't apply a process to compare and value all jobs. Honest.

So this legislation, why do private employers not have to adhere to it ? If I hire an engineer then I advertise the role with a package. It may well not be the same package that my other engineers get.

 

[Tarpon]

So this legislation, why do private employers not have to adhere to it ? If I hire an engineer then I advertise the role with a package. It may well not be the same package that my other engineers get.

The legislation applies to the public and private sector. Google 'Equal Pay Act Private Sector' and it should bring up loads of info including why it has had (to date) less imact in the latter. Worth noting that the legislation is primarily gender based hence the comparison between predominantly female TAs and male Refuse workers.

 

[Biscuit Barrel]

I'm with the them! If you accept downgrades in Pay, Terms and Conditions and you NEVER get them back. The Council are the ones to blame and the Tories with their 18million in cuts to the city councils budget. It will only get worse with the Tories planning cuts each year upto £60million less per year in 4 years time. These cuts cannot be sustained.

Spending more money than you have got can not be sustained either. Did you do your Financial degree in Athens by any chance. The Greeks seem to have the same financial philosophy as you.

 

[Hotchilidog]

Basically going on strike because someone else is getting paid the same as them, utter disgrace. Of course they know that effect of their inaction gives them some leverage, but sadly the council are merely implementing the law and haven't room to move, let alone anymore money to dole out as they are already facing massive cuts forced on them by central government.