Govt offers reassurance after refuse collectors voice unease over privatisation rumours

Workers at Gibraltar Industrial Cleaners demonstrated outside No.6 Convent Place on Wednesday to demand clarity from the Gibraltar Government amid rumours that the refuse collection service was to be privatised.

Backed by Unite the Union, the workers said the Government had not quashed the rumours and the concerns were not about pay but about protecting public sector jobs.

“Yesterday [Tuesday] we had a meeting with Government and although they have advised that they have been doing some work around a no-deal scenario, they haven't actually quashed the rumours around privatisation,” said Unite’s Christian Duo, who was at the protest.

“What I came back to [the Union members] and told them was that we wanted somebody from the department, somebody high in government, to speak to them, face the music.”

“That request has gone silent.”

“We had a general meeting at nine in the morning, and the members basically decided to come outside No.6 to show obviously the disagreement and that they are really angry by the fact that no management employer has come to speak to them, which is what they only wanted.”

Mr Duo said he did not know what privatisation would mean for the employers, adding that they expected engagement from the Government on this issue.

“They have not quashed the rumour. So, obviously, I have not been able to relate to the members any positive outcome with regards to the engagement with Government,” he said.

“But I insist that this is not about money; this is about privatisation, it's about protecting jobs in the public sector.”

At the time of the protest, Unite had notified the Government that its members were now in dispute with their employer.

“Obviously we don't want to cause any disruption but, obviously, they do carry out a very important role within the community,” Mr Duo said.

“We are open to dialogue and what we want is engagement with the employer.”

The demonstrators were brought into No.6 a couple of hours into the protest to speak to the Chief Secretary, Glendon Martinez.

The dialogue resulted in Unite pausing the dispute until their next meeting with the Government later this month.

GOVT REACTS

The Gibraltar Government said it was currently exploring options to ensure Gibraltar’s resilience in handling municipal waste in case of a non-negotiated outcome in the context of the ongoing UK-EU treaty negotiations.

It added that the union and staff representatives would be consulted about any proposed changes should they arise.

“HM Government of Gibraltar notes today's impromptu march and demonstration by Unite the Union and its Gibraltar Industrial Cleaners membership, the organisation tasked in waste collection around Gibraltar,” No.6 Convent Place said in statement.

“Should the Government decide to settle on options which involve any material adverse changes to any of the employees of GIC, it will naturally consult the union or the relevant collective's staff representatives about any such proposed changes.”

“It must, however, be noted that, the options which Government is considering do not envisage any adverse consequences for the union's members.”

“The Government will provide a further statement on options being considered in respect of resilience in waste/refuse matters as soon as it is able to do so.”

“The Government trusts that the employees of the company that undertake refuse collection, GIC, will be reassured by the commitment already made to their union and repeated herein that none of the options being considered by the Government involve any material, adverse changes to their terms and conditions.”