Public Sector Strike !!! Bins !!!

[Neil]

Originally Posted by davemac

It is only a bin full of rubbish, are we so dependant on the council to do everything for us that a missed collection tips us over the edge.

No but we do have a contract with the Council, we pay the Council Tax and they empty the bins. They are supposed to do others things as well but tend to fail miserably at them. Not emptying the bins is something we notice instantly, the other stuff they neglect takes us a little longer to notice.

[Margaret Pilkington]

I think you are right Neil.
We have been recycling for as long as I can remember. We rarely throw food away(I recycle leftovers and they turn up in some other guise).
Our free bin capacity is offered to families(with a few children) who live near us and find their bin is not big enough to take all their refuse...but we insist that nothing that is suitable for recycling is put into our bin...and we check before the bin goes to the collection point.

I'm sure that those families who have babies still in nappies will find it difficult to cope with bin collections that might be four weeks apart ( due to the industrial action)...and in this warm weather the bins are going to get very smelly and attract bluebottles.

[davemac]

Originally Posted by Neil

No but we do have a contract with the Council, we pay the Council Tax and they empty the bins. They are supposed to do others things as well but tend to fail miserably at them. Not emptying the bins is something we notice instantly, the other stuff they neglect takes us a little longer to notice.

But to repeat myself, it is only a bin of rubbish, why do people get so irate about it and start canvasing councillors and slag off the council, it will be emptied in two weeks. I use bin bags that are tied at the top, I have never witnessed this plague of flies and rats that are put forward as a direct result of not having the bin emptied. As I see it, responsible recycling does not result in an overflowing bin.

[accyman]

Originally Posted by davemac

It is only a bin full of rubbish, are we so dependant on the council to do everything for us that a missed collection tips us over the edge.

i could easily throw a few bags into the car and take any surplus trash to the tip but not everyone has a car or the physical ability to do so such as the elderly and disabled

besides its holiday season sling your trtash into the neigbours bin if they are away

joking

[accyman]

Originally Posted by davemac

I have never witnessed this plague of flies and rats that are put forward as a direct result of not having the bin emptied.

shoulda come to oswaldtwistle not too long ago you woulda seen what household waste attracts

even the rats were complaining about the flies

its summer and between cats and flies things can get messy quickly if binbags are left out

[Margaret Pilkington]

Originally Posted by davemac

But to repeat myself, it is only a bin of rubbish, why do people get so irate about it and start canvasing councillors and slag off the council, it will be emptied in two weeks. I use bin bags that are tied at the top, I have never witnessed this plague of flies and rats that are put forward as a direct result of not having the bin emptied. As I see it, responsible recycling does not result in an overflowing bin.

You cannot recycle nappies or used stoma bags and the wipes that are used in cleaning a stoma....surgical dressings too. Even in tied bags these items are offensive. They might not attract rats, but they certainly do attract flies.

[Margaret Pilkington]

I am not getting at your reasoning Dave. Just pointing out that some bins really do need to be emptied on a more frequent than 4 weekly basis.(Ok, so this industrial action is not going to happen every week)
Bury are bringing in refuse collection of household waste on a three weekly basis......so if they are doing this, then other councils will be thinking about watching how it goes in Bury and this may become the norm. It is then only a short stretch to monthly collections.
Perhaps we (as a household of just two adults) would cope with this....but others who have different circumstances may not.

[Neil]

Maybe it's us the public should be taking out action against the poor services we receive.
After the last recycling collection I had to clean up a couple of broken bottles left behind by the recycling collectors. Plastic bottles and paper flying around in the wind is one thing but broken bottles that could injure people, animals, car tyres etc is a different matter and just lazy and irresponsible by the Council

[accyman]

Originally Posted by Neil

Maybe it's us the public should be taking out action against the poor services we receive.
After the last recycling collection I had to clean up a couple of broken bottles left behind by the recycling collectors. Plastic bottles and paper flying around in the wind is one thing but broken bottles that could injure people, animals, car tyres etc is a different matter and just lazy and irresponsible by the Council

i once complained to HBC about the mess left on my lawn all of which was not my rubbish by the recycling collectors and was told that they cant clean it up because it breeches health and safety rules for them to come onto my property

well i suppose the postman,piza delivery folk ,repair men , i call when needed and anyone else who needs to knock upon my door better think up of a new stratergy for gaining my attention if they dont want to be breaking health and safety regualtions

they also like to leave peoples wheelie bins in the road causing traffic hazzards but thats a bit off topic

[Shurm]

We were told on the Monday with a leaflet that the recycling wouldn't be collected along with the green bin which is full with grass and hedge cuttings. I feel sorry though for Baxenden folk whose grey bin isn't being emptied ours is always full in 2 weeks which two lots of nappies ( a dozen a day !!) and just household rubbish and we do recycle bottles plastics paper tins etc.

They should really do overtime to catch up and that might help them with the pay they lost with striking ?

[Less]

Originally Posted by Shurm

They should really do overtime to catch up and that might help them with the pay they lost with striking ?

You don't seem to understand do you?

The idea of going on strike is withdrawal of labour to show their bosses the discontent.
This if it is successful will create inconvenience for someone, it just so happens they picked on you, no-one else just you. Knowing you would shout louder than a spoilt child that has had it's lollipop stolen.
As for overtime they might do some, but you can't force them to do it, so, if your bin remains smelly for an extra fortnight maybe even you will consider,

A/ how useful binmen really are.
2/ what you should put in which bin to prevent overfill of the bin and the land.

[Shurm]

I do understand thanks I also understand they will remain unpaid for their actions it would suit everyone to get their bins emptied and them some money. The strike wasn't about bin men it was about pay and pensions for people in that union, bin men being some of them. I've no problems with bin men I have never said anything bad about them and I do recycle thanks just having a moan about the bins not being emptied

[Neil]

Originally Posted by accyman

i once complained to HBC about the mess left on my lawn all of which was not my rubbish by the recycling collectors and was told that they cant clean it up because it breeches health and safety rules for them to come onto my property

What about the people who do the electoral roll who come to your door or....

Originally Posted by Shurm

We were told on the Monday with a leaflet that the recycling wouldn't be collected.....

Who posted the leaflets if it's a health and safety issue.

Typical, lying about health and safety as an excuse.

[DaveinGermany]

Originally Posted by Neil

Typical, lying about health and safety as an excuse.

The utterance of the phrase "Elf & Safedee mate!" is the stock reply for getting out of/not attempting to do something which the comment maker is obliged to do but has no interest in doing. The exception is if they think they'll gain from it the scuzzbuckets!

[accyman]

i cant pay council tax on health and safety grounds

ii wonder if they will take that as an acceptable reason for not giving them any money ?