Eastbourne binmen were seeking fair pay and conditions
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I am afraid that Mr Parkeur’s letter, which claims that the striking refuse workers were politically motivated is, if you pardon the pun, utter rubbish A political motive for Eastbourne’s bin strikes?.
As I understand it, the local Labour Party were in support of the bin men, as they are of any workers that are paid poverty wages and suffer poor working conditions.
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Hide AdThe Lib Dem council quoted percentages in their press releases about the dispute as this can give the impression that the bin men are asking for a huge increase.
However, the three per cent increase that they were offering the loaders would take them up to £9.30 per hour.
This is less than the new minimum wage figure of £9.50 that the council will be legally obliged to pay them in April.
The GMB were also asking for a shower for the refuse workers rather than them having to hose themselves down in the car park at the end of a shift, as they presently do.
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Hide AdAs for his assertion that the strike was Hampden Park-based, again this is not true as it is an Eastbourne-wide dispute.
Mr Parkeur’s blatant attempt to drum up support for the Lib Dems in Hampden Park may well backfire as I think most fair -minded residents, in Hampden Park and elsewhere, value the people who provide their public services and want to see them treated with respect.