Tower Hamlets: Mountains of rubbish cleared as strike ends

A strike by waste workers in Tower Hamlets has come to an end after a deal was reached with the Council last night. 

Tower Hamlets has seen the build up of mountains of rubbish on its streets since 200 refuse and street cleaners went on strike on 18 September. 

Unite, the union representing the workers, announced yesterday that a pay deal had been reached whereby an additional £750 had been secured for its members. 

On top of this all agency workers, about 50 people, will be brought in-house by the end of the year.

Businesses of Tower Hamlets have also expressed their relief at the decision. 

Joanna Kamenou, the owner of Yanoula’s, said: “It has been looking like the end of the world here.

“The smell has been awful and it has not been great for business. 

“I’m beyond glad it is over.”

JP Macedo, who works at Kahaila on Brick Lane, said: “It is just so bad. It is bad for business, it is bad for rodents.

“The people who open in the morning see rodents all over the street.

“It is disgusting.”  

As one bin truck passed to tackle the next mountain of rubbish, one passerby shouted triumphantly: “Victory!”

Nicole Ma, the owner of HOKO a new restaurant on Brick Lane, said: “I am absolutely glad it is all now going, this is the first time this has ever happened and I’m glad it’s over.

“It has been disgusting.”

Lord Alan Sugar recently tweeted this statement over his concerns about the growth of rubbish. 

I am riding throught Bethnal Green Road in Hackney my old Manor. I am shocked at the stock pile of garbage that is all over the pavements. It is not days of stuff it looks like weeks . What is going on ???

— Lord Sugar (@Lord_Sugar) September 25, 2023

Lutfur Rahman, the mayor of Tower Hamlets, said: “We found ourselves in a difficult position because the strike was over a national pay dispute. 

“However, with no resolution in sight, we had to act to see if we could negotiate a local solution.

“We value our refuse staff and we have listened to their concerns to see how we can work constructively and collaboratively to resolve this dispute.

Together, we will clear backlogged refuse and clean our streets as quickly as possible.”

Unite’s general secretary, Sharon Graham, said: “Council workers across east London are taking action to improve their pay and winning.

“The deals Unite has reached are another step forward in the battle to win better jobs, pay and conditions for local authority workers.”