Waste and recycling collections in South Gloucestershire are being impacted by strike action being taken by employees of Suez, the council’s waste contractor.
➡ Quick links: Daily status updates | Strike extended “until September”
The strike began today, Monday 12th June 2023, and is set to run until Sunday 18th June, with a second phase spanning two weeks planned from Monday 26th June until Sunday 9th July.
It comes after workers rejected an 8 percent pay offer from Suez, which Unite the Union called a “significant real terms pay cut” when compared with the current rate of inflation – currently 11.4 percent as measured by the Retail Prices Index (RPI) in May 2023 or 8.7 percent according to the government’s preferred measure of the Consumer Prices Index (CPI).
The union says the industrial action was supported by 89 percent of workers who voted in a recent ballot.
Impact on collections
With uncertainty over staffing levels going into the first week of the strike, South Gloucestershire Council (SGC) has said it will do its best to “collect what we can”, with priority being given to black bins.
In a statement released today, Monday 12th June, a council spokesperson said said:
“Black bin (household waste) collections will go ahead as planned today but we expect recycling collections to be affected by industrial action by staff at the council’s waste contractor, Suez.”
Please put out black bins, recycling and food waste AS NORMAL this week, on your usual collection day but if any items are not collected by 6pm, please bring your containers back in and present them again on your next scheduled collection day. We are prioritising black bin collections as residents have asked us to do but we may be able to do some recycling collection as well.”
“Garden waste (green bin) collection will not take place this week. Garden waste subscriptions that are affected will be extended to compensate. You do not have to contact us to request this.”
Residents are being asked not to report missed collections this week.
All Sort It centres are open and facilities are in place at Yate and Mangotsfield Sort It centres for residents to deposit food waste.
To be able to prioritise household collection services this week, the Revive shop at Thornbury Sort It Centre is closed. Container deliveries and bulky waste collections have also been suspended.
Updates on services affected during the industrial action is available on a dedicated page of the council’s website: Service disruption due to strike action
A log of status updates issued as the strike progresses is being maintained at the end of this article.
Normal collections will resume in the week commencing Monday 19th June ahead of the second phase of strike action that is planned to start on Monday 26th June.
Find out your next scheduled collection dates: Waste and recycling collection dates (SGC)
Union warns of a “stinky summer”
Speaking about the dispute in South Gloucestershire, Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said:
“Suez is an extremely profitable company but is offering these workers a real terms pay cut during the worst cost of living crisis in generations.”
“Unite’s total focus on defending our members’ jobs, pay and conditions will ensure that Suez’s workforce have their union’s absolute support in fighting back against their employer’s greed.”
“The workers will strike from 12th June until 18th June and again from 26th June until 9th July. If the dispute is not resolved, industrial action will intensify over the summer.”
Unite regional officer Ken Fish added:
“Our members have been forced to take action because Suez refuses to table a reasonable pay offer. South Gloucestershire’s residents are facing a stinky summer because of Suez’s greed.”
“This is a lucrative contract and the council needs to intervene and force Suez to put forward a fair offer to our members.”
Service status updates
Updates are listed in reverse chronological order, i.e. latest first.
For the definitive current status, visit: Service disruption due to strike action (SGC)
See also: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) for Strike Action affecting waste and recycling June to September 2023 (SGC) [Note: This is a live document which is continuously updated]
Note: With collections returning to normal this page will no longer be updated after 7th August 2023.
Monday 7th August 2023
Amended advice from South Gloucestershire Council:
“If your recycling is not collected or your bins are not emptied, please report as a missed collection and leave them out. Crews will be returning for missed collections.”
Wednesday 2nd August 2023
A spokesperson for South Gloucestershire Council said:
“The latest pay offer from SUEZ our waste contractor, has been accepted by Unite members, putting an end to industrial action.”
“We would like to thank all residents for your patience over the past seven weeks and for managing to store your recycling or take it to one of the pop-up recycling sites or the Sort It centres, especially those who took recycling for others.”
“Please put your bins and recycling containers out on your usual collection dates, including garden waste bins for those who are subscribed. The higher volume of recycling will take crews a bit longer to get round so if your recycling is not collected, please take it back in until the following week.”
The spokesperson added:
“We are expecting there to be a higher volume of recycling which will take the crews a bit longer to get round. If your recycling is not collected, please take it back in until the following week. Crews will not be revisiting missed collections.”
“If your black or green bin is not collected, you should report it here.”
Read more: South Glos bin strikes called off as union members vote to accept 10% pay increase (South Glos Post)
Friday 28th July 2023
“Following discussions between Suez and Unite, the strike action is suspended whilst union members hold a ballot on the latest pay offer, and we are hopeful that this offer is accepted.”
Household collections
From Monday 31st July 2023 kerbside collections of black bins, recycling, food waste and garden waste will resume as normal.
Please put your containers out on your usual collection dates, including garden waste bins for those who are subscribed.
Check your normal waste collection day
We are expecting there to be a higher volume of recycling which will take the crews a bit longer to get round. If your recycling is not collected, please take it back in until the following week. Crews will not be revisiting missed collections.
If your black or green bin is not collected, you should report it here.”
Garden waste subscribers
Garden waste subscribers can resume putting their green bin out on their usual collection date. Subscriptions will automatically be extended to cover the weeks lost due to the strike action. You do not need to contact us.
Sort It centres
Our Sort It centres will resume normal opening hours of 8.30am to 4.30pm every day.
The Little Stoke Sort It centre will also reopen from Monday 31st July 2023. Little Stoke is a small site and cannot accept recycling [of the type normally collected at the kerbside]. You can check on this webpage what can be accepted at Little Stoke.
If there are long queues, we may have to close the gates early to enable everyone to get round and empty their containers before the site shuts. This will be reviewed daily and only implemented if necessary.
Additional recycling sites
The additional recycling sites will stop operating at 2pm on Friday 28th July 2023 and all vehicles and containers will be removed from the sites.
Any waste or recycling left at them after this time will be considered fly-tipping and dealt with accordingly. Please use the Sort It centres instead.
Revive Shop at Thornbury
This will remain closed until week commencing Monday 14th August 2023 at the earliest while we focus on kerbside collections. We will review this start date over the next week.
Thursday 13th July 2013
“An additional site has been opened where residents can take recycling and food waste while the current industrial dispute between Unite members and their employer SUEZ continues. From today (Thursday 13th July) residents can now take recycling and food waste to Cleve Rugby Club Car Park in Mangotsfield. This site will be manned on weekdays between the hours of 8am and 2pm.”
Wednesday 12th July 2023
“To help manage current demand at our Sort It centres, the gates may need to close at 4pm for Mangotsfield and 4.15pm for Thornbury. This ensures visitors can unload their vehicles before the sites close.”
Tuesday 11th July 2023
“Deliveries of replacement bins and boxes, along with bulky waste collections, have also had to be suspended during the industrial action. We have organised for stocks of recycling boxes, nappy bags and food caddies to be available to collect from any of our One Stop Shops and libraries.”
Monday 10th July 2023
“From Monday 10th July we have introduced a new site that residents can take their food waste and recycling [to] at Yate Park and Ride, Badminton Road, Yate, BS37 5YS. This site will be manned on weekdays between the hours of 8am and 2pm.”
Thursday 6th July 2023
“Thank you to everyone who is taking their recycling, food waste and garden waste to the Sort It centres.”
“The sites are very busy, especially when they open in the morning and queues are forming.”
“Please be patient and courteous to the staff and if possible plan your trip for the afternoons which are usually a little quieter.”
“The additional locations we have made available for recycling and food waste at Stoke Gifford Park and Ride, Lyde Green Park and Ride, Page Road car park Staple Hill and SGC North Way site Filton are all proving very popular with residents.”
“However, the recycling skips/bring banks at Warmley community centre car park and The Batch community centre car park are unmanned and even though the bins have not been full, some people have been throwing waste on top of them. This is a danger to all using the sites and staff emptying the containers.”
“Please make sure that you sort your recycling and put your recycling into the bin using the holes in the side. Paper and card go in one bin and glass, cans and plastic in the other.”
“If the bins are ever full, please leave your recycling on the side next to the bin rather than throw it on top.”
Source: Facebook post by SGC StreetCare
Tuesday 4th July 2023
Recycling (cardboard, paper, glass, cans and plastic) can be deposited in recycling skips (bring banks) 24/7 at:
- Warmley community centre car park, 20 Deanery Road, Bristol BS15 9JB
- The Batch community centre car park, 8a Park Rd, Barrs Court, Warmley, Bristol BS30 8EB
Monday 3rd July 2023
“Recycling and food waste can be taken to four additional locations around South Gloucestershire every weekday between 8am and 2pm. These locations are:
- Stoke Gifford Park and Ride (Parkway station) – Hunts Ground Road, BS34 8XX
- Lyde Green Park and Ride – Willowherb Road, BS16 7GG
- Page Road short stay car park Staple Hill – Page Road, BS16 4NE
- SGC North Way site, Filton – BS34 7QG
“In addition, there will be further recycling only bins available from midday on Tuesday 4th July where residents can deposit cardboard, paper, glass, cans and plastic, accessible 24/7. The locations of these are still to be confirmed and details will be announced as soon as possible.”
Read more: Bin workers’ strike: Council opens drop-off points for recycling & food waste
Friday 30th June 2023
Waste service update for week commencing Monday 3rd July 2023:
“Due to the industrial dispute between our waste contractor SUEZ and the Unite union, we are prioritising black bin collections so please put your black bin out on your scheduled day. If it is not collected please report as a missed collection.”
“Recycling, food waste and garden waste are not currently being collected kerbside. Do not put your containers out.”
“We are aware of residents’ concerns and have made special arrangements for extra deposit points at a number of sites across the district in addition to our Sort It Centres in Yate, Mangotsfield and Thornbury.”
“These drop off points will be operational next week and we will provide further details on Monday.”
“We are also working with SUEZ on more options for the disposal of food waste and further ways to minimise the impact of the strike action for our residents.”
Earlier amendments:
“We are continuing to prioritise black bin collections this week as this will dispose of waste such as personal hygiene items, medical waste, nappy sacks and pet waste.”
“Deliveries of replacement bins and boxes, along with bulky waste collections, have also had to be suspended during the industrial action.”
Wednesday 28th June 2023
Significant amendment:
“If your recycling was not collected last week when industrial action was paused, we have crews working additional hours to ensure these are picked up. We aim to have all missed recycling from last week collected by [today] Wednesday 28th June.”
Monday 26th June 2023
“As of Monday 26th June, a significant number of SUEZ employees are striking in response to a pay dispute with their employers.”
“Not all staff are striking and therefore black bin collections (including nappy sacks) are planned to go ahead. Please present your black bin on the kerbside on your normal collection day. If it is not collected, please report as a missed collection and the crew will return to your area as soon as possible.”
“Unfortunately there will not be sufficient staff to be able to collect recycling (other than collections missed last week) or green bins during this period of strike action. Please do not put out recycling and green bins this week. Garden waste subscriptions that are affected will be extended to reflect the missed collections and you do not need to contact us for this to happen.”
“If your recycling was not collected last week when industrial action was paused, we still have crews out this week to pick up those missed collections. If your black or green bin was scheduled to be collected last week and it was not, please report as a missed collection.”
“We regret that in not having sufficient staff available to collect recycling this means we will not be able to collect food recycling. We are aware of residents’ concerns over food waste not being collected for some time, especially in the hot weather. Please use a plastic bag or double bag the food waste and ensure it is tightly tied up to seal it as this will help to minimise smells. For residents wishing to recycle their food waste before we can collect at the kerbside, food containers will be available at our Sort It Centres in Yate, Thornbury and Mangotsfield.”
“Our main Sort It centres in Yate, Thornbury and Mangotsfield are expected to remain open if residents wish to dispose of garden waste or recycling (including food waste) during the period of industrial action. Yate will also open a little earlier than normal at 8am this week.”
“We apologise that due to the reduced workforce we will not be able to open the Little Stoke site for the next two weeks. The Revive shop at Thornbury Sort It Centre will also be closed and container deliveries and bulky waste collections suspended.”
For daily updates on services affected during the industrial action, visit: Service disruption due to strike action (SGC)
Source: Facebook post by SGC StreetCare
See also: Strike action closes Little Stoke Sort It recycling centre for two weeks (Stoke Gifford Journal)
Friday 23rd June 2023
“If the recycling in your street has not been collected this week, please leave it out and we will collect as soon as possible. We will have crews working into the weekend and if necessary the start of next week to catch up on collections missed this week.”
Source: Facebook post by SGC StreetCare
Wednesday 21st June 2023
“If the recycling in your street is not collected, please leave it out to be collected in the morning on the following day. If your collection day is Friday [23rd June] we will be running into the weekend – so please leave out your containers.”
Source: Facebook post by SGC StreetCare
Tuesday 20th June 2023
Advice same as Monday 19th June (see above), plus:
“If you have a missed recycling collection this week, you should leave it out as we will return on the morning of the following day. If you are the only person on your street that has not had their recycling collected you should report it as a missed bin collection.”
Monday 19th June 2023
“Strike action among Suez employees is paused this week and we plan to carry out ALL scheduled bin and kerbside collections as normal.”
“We anticipate greater volumes of recycling and food waste and will have extra vehicles working to help us address this.”
“A small number of co-mingling (mixed recycling) compaction vehicles will be used to ensure everyone’s recycling is picked up on their normal collection day as this is a faster method of collection.”
“Crews load food waste into one section and the rest of the recycling into the other. The mixed recycling is separated mechanically at a facility in Avonmouth before going off to be turned into new products and packaging.”
“These vehicles will be used to collect from a limited number of households so please continue to sort your recycling to help the crews.”
“Households that missed the green waste collection service last week will have their subscription extended.”
Source: Facebook post by SGC StreetCare
Looking ahead to the industrial action planned from Monday 26th June to Sunday 9th July 2023.
“We are in discussions with Suez and residents to work out how waste collections will be affected and which ones to prioritise if the planned strike action goes ahead.”
Later on Monday:
“We are experiencing greater volumes of recycling and food waste. Despite using extra vehicles to help us collect as much as possible, it may be difficult to complete all of the collections on the correct day due to the volume of material presented.”
“If the recycling in your street is not collected, please leave it out to be collected in the morning on the following day.”
Source: Facebook post by SGC StreetCare
Friday 16th June 2023
Advice same as Thursday 15th June (see below).
Thursday 15th June 2023
“Please put all bins and containers out as normal on your usual collection day. We are prioritising black bin services and where possible will carry out other kerbside collections. Bring recycling and food containers in by 6pm if not collected.”
“If your black bin collection has been missed this week please report it here. The advice is to leave your black wheelie bin out and Suez will collect it this week.”
“Garden waste (green bin) collection will not take place this week. Garden waste subscriptions that are affected will be extended to compensate. You do not have to contact us to request this.”
Source: Facebook post by SGC StreetCare
Wednesday 14th July 2023
“If your black bin collection has been missed this week please report it here. The advice is to leave your black wheelie bin out and Suez will collect it this week.”
“Please DO NOT report RECYCLING OR GREEN WASTE as missed – there will be further advice on these shortly.”
Source: Facebook post by SGC StreetCare
Tuesday 13th July 2013
“Black bin (household waste) collections will go ahead as planned today but we expect recycling collections to be affected by industrial action by staff at the council’s waste contractor, Suez.”
Later changed to:
“We are prioritising black bin collections as residents have asked us to do, but we may be able to do some recycling collection as well.”
Monday 12th June 2023
Black bin collections are going ahead as planned today but recycling collections are likely to be affected by the strike action.
Strike extended “until September”
UPDATE added 27th June 2023.
Strikes by around 150 workers employed by Suez emptying bins on behalf of South Gloucestershire council have intensified and are now set to last every day until September, according to a press release issued by Unite the Union today (27th June 2023).
The union says the decision to intensify industrial action was taken after both Suez and South Gloucestershire Council “ignored repeated requests by Unite to engage in talks to resolve the dispute”.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said:
“Despite Suez’s claims about generous pay offers, its workers are on very low wages even though the work they do is heavy, difficult and dirty. It is a highly profitable company making tens of millions and can afford to give its struggling staff a reasonable wage increase.”
“Unite never backs down from defending our members’ jobs, pay and conditions and Suez’s South Gloucestershire workforce have their union’s full support as they fight for fair pay.”
The workers initially took strike action from 12th June until 18th June. Strike action beginning this week and scheduled to last until 9th July has now been extended to “last every day until 3rd September”.
Unite regional officer Ken Fish said:
“Unite has repeatedly tried to initiate negotiations with Suez and South Gloucestershire council to bring this dispute to an end. It is a dereliction of duty to the public on the part of both organisations that these requests for talks have been ignored.”
“Our members don’t want to strike, but their determination to ensure a fair pay deal is rock solid. Industrial action will continue until Suez puts an acceptable offer to our members. It is time the council intervened and told the company to do so.”
Union press releases
Further press releases by Unite the Union:
- 2nd August 2023
South Gloucestershire bin strikes off after Unite secures over 10% rise - 28th July 2023
South Gloucestershire bin strikes suspended to allow ballot on improved offer - 25th July 2023
Suez ‘deliberately prolonging’ South Gloucestershire bin strike by refusing talks until 31 July - 13th July 2023
South Gloucestershire bin chaos to worsen as agency strike breakers banned - 6th July 2023
Unite slams South Gloucestershire council’s ‘pretend intervention’ in Suez bin dispute
SUEZ Statements
- Compilation of statements dated 14th-28th July 2023
Strike action in South Gloucestershire - 25th July 2023
Response to SGC Cabinet’s letter of 25th July [PDF]
Bloody Disgrace
This is a health hazard and will encourage fly-tipping.
Taking recycling to the naearest dump, especially as mine is Little Stoke and it’s closed, will cost me at least £10 a week. No mention from the council of compensation and not everyone will be able to do this. I will deduct this off my council tax each month until Sept. We all need to do this or else some clown in the council will say how well this is working in Sept and it will continue as a Council cost saving.