TWU News Summer 2015

WASTEINDUSTRY
GARBOS KICK
Over 50 Wyong waste workers marched on Wyong
Council to protect their pay and conditions in
the upcoming Waste Services Contract Renewal
tendering process.
Garbos help keep our communities healthy, clean and
hygienic. Their work is unglamourous, difficult, dirty and
dangerous every single day and usually occurs at unsociable
hours. For this indispensable service to our community they
deserve to be treated with respect and provided with fair pay
and safe conditions.
When this doesn’t look like it’s going to happen the TWU
were there to fight.
Wyong Council Chambers became a sea of flouro green in
November when over 50 waste workers marched to address
a Council Residents Forum about protecting their pay and
conditions in the pending Waste Services Contract renewal
process.
The Wyong Waste Services Contract is due for renewal
in 2017 and the tender documentation is currently being
prepared for the market.
TWU Newcastle & Northern Sub branch Secretary Mick
Forbes said that it was outrageous that waste workers’
livelihoods hung in the balance during every contract
tendering process.
“Every time a contract changes hands, Garbos pay and
working conditions are up for grabs,” Mick said.
“To date, Wyong Council has refused to write protections
in tender documents to protect our hard-working Garbos and
is instead opting to support a race to the bottom.”
After marching on Wyong council, the crowd filled up the
viewing gallery in the Residents Council Forum to support
their workmate and delegate Rob Collins as he addressed the
Forum to highlight the situation.
Rob told the Forum that there had been disastrous impacts
on waste services in other areas when protections were
ignored in the tendering process, including rubbish piling up
on streets, industrial action by Garbos and increases in poor
vehicle maintenance and dangerous driving by unhappy and
under-pressure workers.
“Wyong waste workers want to keep providing a first
class service to the local area but we need the Council to back
WYONG
GARBOS
STAND
UNITED
Waste worker and delegate Rob Collins
addresses the Council Residents Forum
while his workmates watch on in support.
us in – many of us have been working here for more than 20
years,” Rob said.
“This issue is extremely important to Wyong waste
workers and our families because we simply can’t afford to
lose our jobs or have our pay and conditions cut.”
TWU NSW State Secretary Michael Aird said the turnout
was a great show of unity from the Garbos.
“Wyong waste workers made it clear that they won’t
8 | TWUNEWS SUMMER 2015 FACEBOOK.COM/TWUNSW
TWUNSW.ORG.AU