Resource Recovery Centres open for Ipswich residents
13 December 2024
Ipswich City Council has thanked residents for their patience as protected industrial action has led to bins not being collected in eight Ipswich suburbs today.
Council’s Acting Chief Executive Officer Matt Smith said council was prioritising a limited collection service in the affected suburbs for medical facilities and residents with medical collections.
Mr Smith said the action was taking place after council and three unions could not reach agreement on council’s offer of a 12.75 per cent wage increase over three years.
“Unions asked for a 15 per cent wage rise over three years, which we have not been able to accept,” Mr Smith said.
“That would mean millions of extra dollars added to the council wages bill, which could impact rates or other services council offers over the next three years to off-set the proposed increase.
“We do not want to be in this position, where residents aren’t getting services they would expect from their council.
“The unions’ initial position of a 15 per cent wage increase over three years and an increase in superannuation would have significant impacts on council’s budget, and they have not moved from this position over several months of negotiations.
“Council’s latest offer included a wage increase of 12.75 per cent over three years, well above CPI, as well as a transition to a 36.25 hour working week.
“This offer also includes the current 13.5 per cent superannuation for resource recovery drivers – above the superannuation paid to the majority of council officers and employees covered by other certified agreements at 12.5 per cent.
“This offer was rejected, and the three unions have exercised their right to commence protected industrial action which impacts the community just before Christmas.”
Mr Smith said that, unfortunately, many residents had not had their bins collected today.
Affected suburbs include Springfield, Springfield Lakes, Springfield Central, Camira, Gailes, Spring Mountain, Brookwater and White Rock.
“We have opened our resource recovery centres for affected residents to dispose of up to 80kg of general waste or organic green waste at no charge,” Mr Smith said.
Mr Smith said residents whose bins had not been collected on Friday should bring them back in at the end of the day.
“To try to ease the impact of the unions’ action on residents, both of council’s resource recovery centres at Riverview and Rosewood are anticipated to remain open and waste charges for residents in affected suburbs will be waived this weekend,” Mr Smith said.
“While there may be some disruptions to our resource recovery centres, council will endeavour to provide this free service to affected residents.
"Residents will simply need to provide identification such as a drivers’ licence showing their proof of address within the affected suburbs to access free waste disposal up to 80kg to allow them to dispose of general waste from their red-lidded bins or organic green waste from their green-lidded bins.
“This will allow residents to manage health and safety concerns related to their uncollected bins.
“Should industrial action continue into next week and extend into more suburbs, council will need to reassess this free service.
“Unfortunately it is not possible for council to make short-term citywide changes to our fixed bin collection calendar to collect the missed bins outside the usual schedule.”
Mr Smith said council had been negotiating in good faith for several months with the unions representing council’s operational divisions on a new three-year agreement covering resource recovery drivers and some field services employees.
“Council has been negotiating with the Construction, Forestry, Mining & Energy, Industrial Union (CFMEU), Australian Workers’ Union (AWU) and the Transport Workers’ Union (TWU) for their members covered by the Local Government Employees and Resource Recovery agreements,” Mr Smith said.
“Council respects the right of employees who are members of a union to take protected industrial action, but we urge these unions to recommence negotiations.
“Other unions, representing council’s other employees covered by Council Officers and Civic Centre agreements, have accepted council’s offer in principle.
“We are now working to deliver a wage increase back paid to 1 October 2024 before Christmas as a show of good faith to these employees who have accepted our offer.
“Council recognises the ongoing impacts of the cost-of-living crisis on our employees and Ipswich residents, and we believe the offer made to the CFMEU, AWU and TWU was fair and reasonable, in keeping with what ratepayers would expect.”