Potential industrial action: Update and advice

Unite union members working on Somerset waste collections plan to take industrial action starting from Wednesday 12 July. They intend to strike on Wednesday, Thursday Friday, each week for the four weeks from Wednesday 12 July to Friday 4 August.

We hope industrial action can be avoided and will do everything practical to minimise disruption. However, if it goes ahead large numbers of missed collections will be unavoidable across all parts of the county.

***NOTE: Industrial action could be called off as late as Tuesday 11 July 2023 – if that happens collections would operate as normal***

We will prioritise collections of clinical waste, refuse and waste from communal properties and schools BUT this is no guarantee these collections will take place on time.

Recycling collections are much more likely to be missed as staff are redeployed. We will do our best to make sure everyone gets at least one recycling collection during the strike.

We do not plan to suspend garden waste collections but expect significant delays. We will make a decision about existing subscriptions when we know the full impact of strike action.

Throughout the strike www.somerset.gov.uk/strike will be the best place for the latest information about disruption and advice on how to manage waste when collections are missed. Please check it frequently.

Service specific messages for the public

Refuse and clinical collections

• When to present: put your refuse out on your usual collection day throughout the strike.

From 17 July onwards crews will accept one additional black sack of refuse, placed at the side of the bin.

• If missed: report a missed collection in the usual way, online using the My Waste Services A crew will try and return as soon as they can, but long delays are likely.

Recycling collections

• When to present: put your recycling out on your usual collection day throughout the strike. However, we expect to see high numbers of missed collections.
• What to do if missed: take it in and put it out again on your next scheduled recycling day.

There are special arrangements for anyone with a recycling collection due on Wednesday 12 July, Thursday 13 July and Friday 14 July and Friday 21 July only.

• If missed on Wednesday 12 July, put it out again on Monday 17 July.
• If missed on Thursday 13 July, put it out again on Tuesday 18 July.
• If missed on Friday 14 July and Friday 21 July put it out again on Monday 24 July.