Recycling workers working for FCC Environment in Hull have started two weeks of strike action for decent pay sick pay, and are asking for donations to their hardship fund.
The 14-day strike, which started on 29 March, is the second round of action, following a week-long strike at the beginning of the month.
The UNISON members are mounting a picket from 6am every day at the FCC Wilmington waste transfer station in Hull.
Their employer is a wholly-owned subsidiary of a Spanish company that describes itself as “a worldwide leader in citizen services, specialised in environment, water and infrastructure”. It reported a 12.7% increase in earnings in the first quarter of 2017, totalling $188m globally.
But UNISON Hull City branch secretary Adrian Kennett says that, “despite the company’s significant profits, it refuses to to pay the workers who make them the profits decent pay and conditions.”
The branch has been campaigning for a better sick scheme for a long time. Last year, a member was diagnosed with cancer, but was denied sick pay.
“We asked for this to be included in pay talks,” says Mr Kennett, but the company refused.
At the same time, that company has not increased a pay offer of 2.5% increase, which most of our members were going to get anyway as part of the increase in the national minimum wage, which came into effect on 1 April.
“This has left our members with no choice but to take industrial action,” says UNISON.
The branch, supported by Yorkshire and Humberside region, is asking fellow UNISON branches to give generously to support the strikers, with cheques made payable to UNISON Hull City and sent to:
UNISON Hull City branch
Town Hall Changers
39 Alfred Gelder Street
Hull
HU1 2AG
Find out more about the issue at hullcity-unison.org.uk
Contact the branch by email at info@unisonhull.org.uk or by phone at 01482 318670
