Sydney waste workers continue to strike as rubbish piles up

By SHARLOTTE THOU

City of Sydney’s waste workers – members of the NSW Transport Workers Union – are continuing to strike over poor pay and working conditions imposed by waste management giant Cleanaway.

NSW Transport Workers Union (TWU) Secretary, Richard Olsen says it is the “council’s responsibility to set things right by intervening to ensure that Cleanaway comes to the table on sustainable conditions”.

He believes that the waste management company has a “track record of treating its workers like dirt”, with workers in Queensland, Erskine and Randwick having previously taken industrial action.

“This appalling, unchecked behaviour by Cleanaway has gone on long enough, it’s time for the council to step in. After all, they are responsible for this contract and the essential service Sydney residents rely on. It’s not good enough for the council to wash its hands of this situation which has reached crisis point,” he said.

Olsen maintains that working conditions are worse in the City of Sydney compared to other council areas. The TWU estimates that the City of Sydney workforce at Cleanaway is 30-40% understaffed, and that workers employed in the City of Sydney council were paid at least $4 less per hour than workers in other areas.

When asked to account for this discrepancy, Councillor Yvonne Weldon said she was “not sure” why the City of Sydney’s service standards had “deteriorated” in comparison to other LGA’s.

Weldon describes the streets as “filthy”, adding that “there is a growing rat infestation in the city”.

She acknowledges that the problem has been ongoing, with the situation reaching “crisis point towards the middle of last year”. She was told it was an “operational matter and … best left with City Staff to resolve”.

And end to outsourcing?

Looking forward, Weldon recommends that Council move away from outsourcing, and utilise it’s “in-house cleansing and waste team to better manage their] contract with Cleanaway and to fill gap in service as required”. She also believes Council should allow “residents to drop-off household goods to [Council] depots”.

This sentiment has been echoed by some locals, who have commented on social media that the issue was “another example of failed outsourcing”.

Lord Mayor Clover Moore told City Hub that further industrial action is planned, including on Tuesday 14 February.

The Lord Mayor has met with Cleanaway to discuss their contract and service delivery issues, with a focus on “ensuring Cleanaway’s service returns to the high standard the City and our residents expect”.

The Lord Mayor also confirmed that an offer between Cleanaway and its employees had been made, and the “process for taking this to a formal vote by employees has commenced”.