No rubbish collection in Noosa next week as workers announce strike

Waste workers are set to walk off the job next week in a dispute over pay rises, with thousands of properties affected as the region’s council reacts.

Cleanaway Noosa workers are set to walk off the job next week in a dispute over pay rises, with thousands of homes affected as the heat is set to rise.

Noosa garbos and waste workers have announced a strike next week over a wage increase stoush.

This action will potentially impact thousands of residents and visitors in the Noosa Council area next Tuesday.

Transport Workers’ Union members at Cleanaway Noosa said they were fighting for a wage increase of seven per cent as cost of living pressures pinched them and their families.

The union said wage increases at Cleanaway Noosa have not kept up with inflation over the past three years, with workers’ pay going backwards by more than three per cent if compared with inflation.

Garbos in Noosa will walk off the job next week unless their demands for a pay increase are met.

About 6000 residential bin collections will be missed with disruptions at the Waste and Resource Recovery Centre at Doonan and further missed commercial services.

“Tewantin and the western half of Noosaville are scheduled to have their waste collected on Tuesday, meaning these suburbs will have their bins left on the street, as summer temperatures reach around 30 degrees,” the union said.

On Thursday, the Bureau of Meteorology predicted the maximum temperature in Noosa Heads on Tuesday would reach 28 degrees.

Union members and officials are calling on Cleanaway to agree to their terms and said the strike could be cancelled if Cleanaway came back with “a decent offer”.

Waste workers and garbos are set to strike in Noosa next week.

TWU Queensland organising director Josh Millroy said members were ready to strike.

“Taking industrial action is always a last resort, but this is the only option when the Cleanaway continue to fall short on a decent offer after months of bargaining,” Mr Millroy said.

“These workers are out in the trucks or at the transfer stations nearly every day slogging it out in the summer heat and I think Noosa residents would agree that these workers deserve a fair pay rise and more rights at work,” he said.

Noosa Council CEO Larry Sengstock said the matter is between Cleanaway and its workers, but hoped both parties could resolve the matter quickly.

“We remain hopeful that our residents will not be impacted by the potential action,” Mr Sengstock said.

Council will advise residents via its website on Monday afternoon to keep them updated on Tuesday’s collection day.