Barnet binmen say: ‘Leave our service alone!’

That is exactly what our UNISON members had to say on the picket line on Wednesday 7 October. Our members are rightly concerned about the future of the service as they have been identified as another service to be outsourced. Members revealed they have been concerned about the increasing reliance on agency drivers and loaders and the impact it is having on the quality of the service to residents.

We still have some members who remembered the last time this service was privatised by the Conservative council; it was in chaos. The refuse service has been repeatedly quoted as highly recommended by Barnet residents. Now all that hard work is at risk as consultants begin to take a look at it. Our members are already the lowest paid workers in the council and they are all too well aware that outsourcing will mean lower pay and longer hours.

A large number of our members are also local residents too. They really care about the quality of the service they provide and that is why they are prepared to take more strike action if it is required