| More than 100 refuse collectors working for Sita in Doncaster today begin strike action in a dispute over fair pay. The Unite members are angry over Sita’s failure to offer them a fair pay deal which will bring them in line with colleagues in other counties. They have asked for a £1 per hour increase, which is parity with drivers in neighbouring Kirklees, who are also employed by SITA to do the exact same job. The workers will be striking on three consecutive Monday and Fridays as well as continuing an overtime ban that began last week. Unite regional Chris Weldon said: “The company continues to refuse to engage properly with Unite, leaving our members with no other option than to take industrial action. There is no doubt that Sita can afford to meet the reasonable demands. “We are ready and willing to return to the negotiating table at a moment’s notice, but we believe that it is Sita’s intransigence that has caused this dispute. “We regret the impact this will have on refuse collection services and call on management to return to the negotiating table, where this can all be resolved in an amicable way so we can ensure the people of Doncaster receive the service they deserve.” |