Waste management company Veolia has failed to recognise employees who are part of Unite the Union.
Unite members have been in dispute for seven months and reiterate that refuse workers in Sheffield will continue to strike until their union is recognised.
Paddy Hill, organiser for Unite said: “The council owns the contract with Veolia. They are Veolia’s paymasters on behalf of the taxpayers of Sheffield and they have a duty in the union’s view to settle this dispute.”
Unite states that as Veolia is backed with public money they should “respect workers rights” and not try to “silence them”.
If Unite becomes recognised as the union of choice it will give them a seat at the table with Veolia to talk about pay and their rights as workers.
An agreement in December was drafted up but Unite claim Veolia backed out with no warning.
Mr Hill said: “All we want them to do is to honour the agreement they actually drafted up and put before us in December, which was to recognise us.”
Veolia says the reason they backed away from the agreement is because rival union GMB would retaliate with its own strikes.
Unite states any claims by the Council or Veolia that the dispute is an inter-union battle “is simply not true”.
Mr Hill said: “There was no attempt by Unite to encroach upon the GMB’S territory, it just happened naturally. We have to represent members that come across to us. It’s as simple as that.”
Some members of Unite were part of GMB previously but stepped away due to dissatisfaction over the service they were receiving.
Unite general secretary, Sharon Graham said: “Veolia could end this dispute tomorrow with the stroke of a pen yet continues to undermine deals, attempt union-busting tactics and break promises to its workers and to the communities in Sheffield it is meant serve.”
Unite were joined by their French counterparts CGT union for a protest in Sheffield. Protests have taken place across Europe and have targeted both Veolia and its major shareholders.