Since the morning of mon 13th June 250 refuse collector's have been in occupation of their works sitein Hollingbury, Brighton, England.
Underneath you'll find the leaflet released by them explainig the current situation.
GMB (General Municipal Boilermakers Union.)
THE VIEWPOINT FROM THE REFUSE AND STREETCLEANSING WORKFORCE.

We came in yesterday (Monday11th) to do our normal weekly work;
* We found that SITA Management had decided to try and impose new street cleansing measures, which we - the ones who actually do the job - know are impossible.
* E.g.,one driver and 2 operatives are supposed to sweep both sides of the undercliff walk from ASDA to Saltdean, Warren Rd, Elm Grove, a large proportion of Whitehawk, Bevendean and Marine Parade. And we're meant to do this with handbrooms, in 8 hours!! (note:my addition not on the leaflet, this is massive area covering a major part of the sea front, an one of the 2 largest estates in brighton, not including the rest.)
* SITA Management know there is no way anyone can do this, but they don't care about the workforce or the people of Brighton and Hove.
* On Monday Management suspended 11 staff who refused to do these impossible rounds.
* The rest of us - over 160 GMB members - protested about about the suspensions. Then Management sacked us all.

THAT'S WHY WE WENT INTO OCCUPATION!
We want to work, and do a good job for Brighton & Hove. SITA is stopping us and SITA is costing all of us - the Council Tax payers - an extra 1.8 million pounds per annum since they took over.

The whole thing is typical of SITA's attitude since day one. Agreements signed and agreed by management and unions have been torn up by them. Consultation, discussions etc. have not been forthcoming from management. Management talk at people, not to them.On numerous occasions, management have tried to impose working conditions on the workforce without any consultation. This is what has been causing the problems that Brighton & Hove residents have had to suffer over the last twelve months.

Before SITA took over refuse and street cleaning service on the first of November 1999, streets and refuse collection was kept to to a very high standard. Any disputes between management and workforce were resolved quickly and amicably. From the first meeting with SITA, before they even took over the contract we realised from Management's attitude that things were not going to go very well for the workforce. This from the attitude of one of the senior management who said "B******S" at a meeting of the entire workforce, which included children.end.

As this report go's to press, 20 plus binmen(from the occupation) & supporter's are picketing at their vehicle site in in The Hyde Business Park, Bevendean, Brighton.
A supporter has been locked on to one of the truck's (since 5 am this morning), thus blocking the rest of the vehicles in. Stopping a hastily put together SCAB workforce (organised by SITA) from going out! (if they've managed to get one together, information about the SCABS is not to clear at the moment.)
The purpose of the occupation is to be re-instatment for all the sacked workers with better working conditions. Although, the word on the ground is the strikers want to set themselves up as a workers co-operative! An as we know THEY CAN DO IT THEMSELVES!!!
In Solidarity with the Binmen!