Cardiff Council workers vote for strike action over ‘toxic bullying culture’

Cardiff Council workers have voted to take strike action over a “toxic”’ bullying culture within the council’s Waste Services Department

Members of the Unite union employed by Cardiff City Council have voted by a majority of 98 per cent to take industrial action.

Strike dates have yet to be confirmed but the action is expected to cause significant disruption to rubbish collections across the capital.

The union says it has been raising workers’ concerns over bullying for several months but no firm action has been taken by the council to address their complaints.

A recent survey of Unite members working within Waste Services found that over 60 per cent of workers had either witnessed workplace bullying or had been bullied themselves.

Unite has also raised a number of other issues with the council stemming from the “bullying culture” including health and safety failings and misuse of agency labour.

Bullying and harassment 

Unite General Secretary Sharon Graham said: “Workers at Cardiff Council have delivered an overwhelming majority in favour of strike action. They have had enough of this toxic workplace culture and want change.”

“Unite will not tolerate bullying and harassment in any workplace or the targeting of our reps. Our members will receive the full support of Unite during this dispute”.

Unite Regional Officer, Ruth Hydon added: “The bullying culture within Waste Services has to end and that can only be achieved through firm and decisive action by Cardiff Council.”

“The issues within waste services are made worse by high levels of agency workers and the practice of keeping workers on agency contracts for years on end.”

“If Cardiff Council does not resolve this dispute then strike action will lead to considerable disruption to the city’s refuse collections. Unite is calling upon the leadership within Cardiff City Council to act before it is too late.”