Council Workers Strike for Fair Pay in Melbourne

0:00Council workers across several Melbourne suburbs caked off a 24-hour strike today, demanding better pay. They're skipping wheelie bin collections in Derben, Mary Beck, and Hume, while holding off on parking fines in Yara, Mari Baranon, and Melbourne. More than 70 folks walked off the job, led by the Australian Services Union. The Union wants a 10% pay bump right away, then 4% raises each year after that. Workers say they've lost 7-12% in real wages since 2021, thanks to rising costs outpacing their checks. Meanwhile, the Union points out Council's face a 2.75% cap-on rate rises from the state, but blames them for cutting services. Instead of pushing back, a litter team worker shared how his once-rewarding job now barely covers basics. He can't save like he used to five years back. This morning, bins piled up with 17,000 left untouched in Hume alone. The Union warns more strikes could hit libraries and general operations if talk stall.

1:01Leaders are calling on state government and councils to team a fast, find a fix, and give these frontline keepers the fair deal they earn, keeping hour. Streets clean. Local news, powered by AI. This is Cindy News Today.