[In November 1981 the Tories pushed through full…]
Socialist Organiser1983 1983-04-14Read it in the scan (PDF), scan page 14 →
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In November 1981 the Tories pushed through full council a plan to engage Waste Management Ltd to produce a detailed specification and cost survey for the privatisation of the refuse collection service, street cleansing and associated services, at a cost to the Bury ratepayers of £15,000.
In December 1981, NALGO members voted for a policy of non-cooperation with Waste Management. Ltd or the council in its move to privatise the service.
In March 1982, delayed by the NALGO action, the council asked for a meeting with the joint unions, and found themselves under threat of full strike action with the prospect of refuse on the streets before the May elections.
They agreed to a compromise: the council will go no further than drawing up of a list of tenders and in turn the union side will withdraw from its threatened action and undertake to enter into discussions on any improvements that would be proposed in the service.
Privatise
But after the May elections left the Tories in control, they saw Labour's defeat as their mandate to privatise.
In October 1982, the joint unions were informed by council leader Little of the council's intention to invite the firms on the select list to tender for refuse collection and other services.
Faced with a unilateral breach of the March 1982 agreement, the unions replied that a state of