Secret army of Garbage Collectors

Date: 28 July 2003

If you are a resident of Sydney City Council you may have noticed the team of "garbage collector trainees" on the streets over recent weekends. For the past month the Council has brought in a team of contractors from the body hire firm JobWire to be trained to use Council trucks and take them through a run at the cost of $12,000 per week.

As Sydney City Council has its own team of 150 garbage collectors and street cleaners it is of concern that they would spend over $50,000 training contractors. According to the United Services Union there can be one reason only - Council is training their own team of strike breakers.

The Union is currently in dispute with the Council over their treatment of garbage collectors who transferred from South Sydney and Leichhardt Council following recent inner boundary changes. "This Council has an appalling reputation for dealing with industrial matters however even we are shocked that they would prepare a team of strike breakers in a style that is reminiscent of Patrick's "Balaclava and Rottweiler" gang," said USU Organiser Mark McLeay

Council has recently advised members that they will be implementing a program of Voluntary Redundancy. Council has advised members that the program has been made necessary by Determinations issued by the Minister for Local Government associated with the boundary changes.

"These determinations relate to the protection of staff jobs and conditions which Council were well aware of at the time of the boundary changes," said Mark McLeay. "Rather then resolve issues with their workforce they prepare secret squads of strike breakers or an alternate workforce. Do residents know that their rates are being used to fund a "Dubai-style" training camp?"

The USU is currently in dispute with Council over their harassment of transferred staff. The workers have been subjected to appalling harassment by the Council simply because they are doing their job and abiding by the recommendation of the Industrial Relations Commission.

For further information contact Mark McLeay on (02) 9265 8211 or 0409 915 270.

For further information

Contact:	Brian Harris
Union:	Municipal Employees Union
Phone:	(02) 9265 8211
Email:	help@usu.org.au
WWW:	http://www.usu.org.au

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