The following statement has been issued by Hills Municipal Collections in response to notification from GMB Union of industrial action planned by union members at municipal waste depots:

Hills Municipal Collections is disappointed that GMB have balloted members on industrial action without first fully engaging in negotiations with the company on our 2021/22 pay review offer and not acting in accordance with the Tri-Union recognition agreement with the company.

Hills Municipal Collections is still waiting for both Unison and Unite’s responses under the terms of the Tri-Union recognition agreement to the pay review offer made.

The pay review offer was made in September 2021, however, GMB have only entered into meaningful dialogue since they have determined to ballot for strike action. This approach is not in the spirit of finding a resolution.

Hills Municipal Collections recognises and greatly values the work of our kerbside collections crews especially as demonstrated throughout the pandemic. During the pandemic the company has offered enhanced financial benefit to support employees required to self-isolate or where they have contracted coronavirus. In addition a special “lockdown bonus” has been paid in recognition of all employees that helped maintain critical frontline services during the first national lockdown. The current stance of the GMB does not acknowledge the positive actions taken by Hills Municipal Collections during a very challenging period for both employees and the wider Hills business as a whole.

The company looks to offer pay reviews based on affordability and the 2021/22 pay review offered was in line with comparable local pay reviews, indexation and the cost of living at the time.