Residents in eight Ipswich suburbs may face disruptions to their bin collections on Friday due to protected industrial action by union members in the Ipswich City Council’s resource recovery division.
Suburbs Affected
The impacted suburbs include Springfield, Springfield Lakes, Springfield Central, Camira, Gailes, Spring Mountain, Brookwater, and Whiterock.
Acting CEO Matt Smith said residents should place their bins out as usual but bring them back in if collections do not occur.
Support for Residents
To ease the impact, Ipswich City Council will waive waste disposal fees at the Riverview and Rosewood resource recovery centres for affected residents on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Residents can dispose of up to 80kg of general waste by presenting proof of address.
“While there may be some disruptions to our resource recovery centres, council will endeavour to provide this free service to affected residents,” Mr. Smith said.
Council is prioritizing limited collection services for medical facilities and residents with medical needs but is unable to adjust the citywide bin collection schedule due to logistical constraints.
Negotiation Breakdown
The industrial action follows stalled negotiations between Ipswich City Council and unions, including the CFMEU, AWU, and TWU. The unions are seeking a 15 per cent wage increase over three years and higher superannuation contributions.
Council’s offer of a 12.75 per cent wage increase over three years, a transition to a 36.25-hour work week, and 13.5 per cent superannuation for resource recovery drivers was rejected.
“Council respects the right of employees to take industrial action but urges unions to return to negotiations,” Mr. Smith said.
Broader Context
Negotiations have been ongoing with multiple unions as part of new Certified Agreements covering 1,500 employees. Other council employees covered by separate agreements have accepted a deal for wage increases of 5 per cent, 4 per cent, and 3.75 per cent over three years.
Residents in affected suburbs are encouraged to monitor council updates and prepare for potential further disruptions.
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