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Fife recycling staff to demonstrate amid health and safety fears

Workers from three trade unions will protest at the gates of Cireco Scotland, the body that provides waste and recycling services on behalf of Fife Council.

Fife recycling centre in Glenrothes
Glenrothes Recycling Centre. Image: Steve Brown/DC Thomson.

Angry Fife recycling centre staff are taking unofficial action amid claims managers are putting profit before people.

Workers from three trade unions will demonstrate at the gates of Cireco Scotland, the body that provides waste and recycling services on behalf of Fife Council.

Dozens of people are expected at the early morning protest in Dunfermline on Friday.

John Gillespie, from Unite, claimed the company had been ignoring workers’ health and safety concerns for months.

Unite activist John Gillespie during a previous protest.
Unite activist John Gillespie during a previous protest. Image: Steven Brown/DCThomson.

It is understood much of the anger relates to the condition of containers at recycling centres across the region.

Mr Gillespie said: “We had a mass meeting of members and they said they had had enough.

Cireco is putting profit before safety and before people. We’re going to take this to the gate.”

Cireco said it had had no formal notice of the planned demo but that it took workers’ health and safety “very seriously”.

Fife recycling centre protest follows injuries

Mr Gillespie said the action would involve off-shift members of Unite, Unison and the GMB.

“We have a folder of evidence where management is failing to deal with concerns,” he said.

“There have been injuries because of the state of the skip boxes

“We’ve raised issues of health and safety and we’ve got pictures to prove it.

“We’ve been building a case for some time.”

Cireco Scotland chief executive Robin Baird said workers had ample opportunity to raise concerns.

‘Robust systems are in place’

Mr Baird said: “We are aware that unofficial action is planned but have not had any formal notification from trade unions as to the purpose of the demonstration or areas of concern.”

He said the company held regular health and safety meetings with unions.

Cireco HQ in Dunfermline.
Cireco HQ in Dunfermline. Image: Steve Brown / DCT Media

And he added: “Joint trade unions can raise and evidence any concerns with us at any time via a dedicated email box, which are then addressed and responded to.

“Robust systems are in place to ensure boxes and skips are assessed at every uplift by the drivers collecting them

“Drivers are aware all defects are to be reported which allows us to quarantine any defective container until inspected and any necessary repairs carried out.

“This is to ensure the safety of site users, staff and the suitability of the containers for their intended purpose.”

Investment in containers to continue

Mr Baird said Cireco spent “significant sums” on the repair and replacement of boxes and containers in 2022-23.

And he said the investment would continue in the coming years.

Cireco employs 200 Fife-based staff and handles over 220,000 tonnes of material per year.

Any surplus income generated by the company is used to support Fife Council.

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