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The pay dispute between Canberra’s garbage truck drivers and their employer is far from resolved, but the union representing them says there has been “some progress”. Drivers and government contractor SUEZ have been deadlocked in a debate over pay for more than six-months. SUEZ met with Transport Workers’ Union representatives on Monday afternoon to put forward a new pay offer. Drivers have been pushing for a 12 per cent pay rise over the next three years. However, SUEZ says that is “unreasonable” and has countered with an 8 per cent offer. TWU ACT branch secretary Klaus Pinkas would not reveal what was put forward on Monday, but said while there had been “some progress” the deadlock was not resolved. Mr Pinkas will meet with drivers on Wednesday morning to discuss the offer. Canberra residents have suffered through three weeks of strikes, which left bins kerbside across most of the ACT last week. Mr Pinkas said drivers took strike action as a last resort after six months of debate with their employer to no avail. SUEZ say the workers’ desired pay rise is “unfair and unreasonable” due to the economic impact of COVID-19 on the company. “In fairness to the 2400 people outside Canberra in our business, it would be exceptionally unfair and unreasonable they would have to pay the price of trying to get our business through this period, for us to then award an increase that is completely out of step,” SUEZ ACT general manager Paul Haslam said last week. Mr Pinkas argued the business makes the same revenue from its ACT government contract regardless of the pandemic.
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The pay dispute between Canberra’s garbage truck drivers and their employer is far from resolved, but the union representing them says there has been “some progress”.
Drivers and government contractor SUEZ have been deadlocked in a debate over pay for more than six-months.
SUEZ met with Transport Workers’ Union representatives on Monday afternoon to put forward a new pay offer.
Drivers have been pushing for a 12 per cent pay rise over the next three years.
However, SUEZ says that is “unreasonable” and has countered with an 8 per cent offer.
TWU ACT branch secretary Klaus Pinkas would not reveal what was put forward on Monday, but said while there had been “some progress” the deadlock was not resolved.
Mr Pinkas will meet with drivers on Wednesday morning to discuss the offer.
Canberra residents have suffered through three weeks of strikes, which left bins kerbside across most of the ACT last week.
Mr Pinkas said drivers took strike action as a last resort after six months of debate with their employer to no avail.
SUEZ say the workers’ desired pay rise is “unfair and unreasonable” due to the economic impact of COVID-19 on the company.
“In fairness to the 2400 people outside Canberra in our business, it would be exceptionally unfair and unreasonable they would have to pay the price of trying to get our business through this period, for us to then award an increase that is completely out of step,” SUEZ ACT general manager Paul Haslam said last week.
Mr Pinkas argued the business makes the same revenue from its ACT government contract regardless of the pandemic.
