Recycling employees at waste management organisation FCC Environment who are members of the trade union Unison are undertaking two weeks of strike action in a dispute over sick pay.
The Hull-based recycling staff began strike action on 29 March 2018.
The dispute regards FCC Environment’s sick pay scheme, which is currently only available for the organisation’s managers rather than for all staff. Managers are able to utilise the sick pay scheme as a day one benefit, according to Unison.
The only other employees who are currently able to access the sick pay scheme are those that are covered by a transfer of undertakings (protection of employment) (TUPE) arrangement.
Approximately 25 Unison members, featuring a mix of employees who do and do not have access to the sick pay scheme, are striking in order to obtain a universal, income-based sick pay scheme. Unison states that an ideal sick pay scheme would enable employees to have six months of sick leave at full pay and six months of sick leave at half pay.
Unison has arranged a hardship fund in order to support the affected employees because the members undertaking strike action are not being paid while they are striking.
Adrian Kennett, Hull City branch secretary at Unison, said: “Despite the [organisation’s] significant profits, it refuses to pay the [employees] who make them the profits decent pay and conditions. We asked for [a sick pay scheme] to be included in pay talks. This has left our members with no choice but to take industrial action.”
FCC Environment is unavailable for comment at time of publication.