Refuse workers vote to accept outsourcing

WORKERS providing Cork County Council’s refuse collection for 37,000 customers have voted to accept the outsourcing of the service to a private contractor.

The council is trying to identify preferred bidders for the bin collection service but has welcomed the acceptance by over 50 workers who are represented by the SIPTU trade union. Representative Eddie Mullins said the vote in favour was by a “good majority”.

He said the ballot was based on the outcome of involved negotiations at the Labour Relations Commission from which a set of proposals emerged.