Residents in Manchester are now facing bin strikes after workers voted for industrial action to be taken yesterday.
It comes after more than 90% of the workers in the area – who are employed by outsourced waste management company Biffa – voted for industrial action on a turnout of more than 60% with a dispute that’s said to stem from Biffa refusing to increase wages, GMB Union said.
Biffa is refusing to increase wages for the majority of the workers above the 1.75% that local government workers received for 2021, and GMB Union explained that despite “extensive negotiations”, the waste company was still reluctant to increase its offer, even though it’s “a private company and therefore not bound by public sector pay restraint policies”.
Despite its commercial waste operation being heavily affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and several lockdowns throughout 2020 and 2021, Biffa is still said to have remained “highly profitable”, and recorded pre-tax profits of £26 million last year.
Following the vote for industrial action, GMB Union will now meet with members to discuss dates for the strike – which is said could potentially happen in as little as two weeks’ time.
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Residents in Manchester are now facing bin strikes after workers voted for industrial action to be taken / Credit: Geograph
Strike action could affect up to 220,000 homes in Manchester.
The workers that could be involved in the strike – who are members of both GMB and Unite unions – include drivers, loaders, and environmental operatives.
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Speaking on the results of the vote, Michael Clark – Regional Organiser at GMB Union – said: “Manchester’s residents now face a bin strike. The city’s refuse collectors and street scene services worked through the pandemic, doing a tough job, now they need help to get them through the biggest fall in living standards for 50 years.
“We urge Biffa to come back to us with a decent offer to stop this strike before it begins.”
More than 90% of the workers in the area voted for industrial action / Credit: Flickr (via oatsy40)
A Biffa spokesperson told the MEN in response: “We are in active and ongoing negotiations with the unions and remain committed to reaching a solution as quickly as possible.”
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A Manchester City Council spokesperson also told the MEN following the vote: “We are aware of the ballot decision today to go ahead with industrial action and we will continue to work with Biffa, and we will monitor the situation while negotiations are ongoing to reach a solution and avoid strike action.
“We will continue to put plans in place to minimise potential disruption during any planned strike action.”
Featured Image – Geograph
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Family pay tribute to ‘fun-loving’ son who died in Wythenshawe as man charged with murder
Emily Sergeant
The family of a man who died in Wythenshawe last week have now paid a touching tribute to him.
It comes after at around 11:35pm last Thursday (5 February), Greater Manchester Police (GMP) were called out to reports of an incident on Southwick Road in the Northern Moor area of Wythenshawe, and when emergency services attended the scene, they discovered a man in his 20s had been ‘seriously injured’.
Despite the best efforts of everyone involved, the man sadly at the scene.
The victim has since been formally identified as Drew McCormick, who was aged 29, and another man was also subsequently arrested.
19-year-old Lewis Morley, of Ryecroft Grove in Manchester, was charged with murder and has been remanded to next appear at Manchester Crown Square Court on Tuesday 10 March 2026.
A police investigation into the incident is now being run by GMP’s Major Incident Team (MIT) and enquiries are ongoing.
In the meantime, Drew’s family have paid tribute: “There are just not enough words to describe Drew and the impact he had on many lives. He was a fun-loving person that brought laughter and joy to the world with his big bright smile and loud laugh.
“Drew had the biggest heart and would do anything for those he loved. He loved his family deeply even more than TikTok.
“He has left a huge hole in our hearts, and our lives will never be the same. We love you Drew and will keep you in our hearts forever.”
With investigations ongoing, anyone who has any information or footage in relation to the incident that may assist GMP with its enquiries is urged to report them via the dedicated major incident portal here.
Featured Image – GMP
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Plans officially submitted for ‘vibrant’ new food hall in Wythenshawe
Emily Sergeant
Are you feeling hungry? Good, because a new food hall is on the horizon.
That’s right – plans to transform Wythenshawe Civic have taken another exciting leap forward this week, as Manchester City Council and placemaker Muse have submitted a planning application to bring a brand-new food hall to the town.
Set to be housed within the three units next to the former Peacocks store – which has now been demolished – the new food hall will become a ‘vibrant’ destination for independent and local food vendors to attract people with ‘delicious and diverse’ offerings.
Developers also hope the new food hall will keep the suburban Manchester town’s centre ‘bustling’ throughout the day and into the evening.
The announcement that the new food hall is in the works comes as part of the already-announced plans for Wythenshawe Civic – with work to soon begin on everything from the public realm, and outside space, to the vacant office space above the existing Iceland-store, which will also be transformed into modern new workspace to support local start-ups and bring new jobs into the town centre.
Developers also recently submitted three separate applications to create 422 new affordable homes for social rent across three locations in the town centre.
“Listening to local people over the last year and more, we know that Wythenshawe residents want more from their town centre – more things to do, opportunities to spend time in Civic and night time attractions that give the area a lift and attract visitors,” commented Cllr Bev Craig, who is the Leader of Manchester City Council.
“This is the drive behind the Culture Hub. A place for local people with an interest in the arts to take part in creative activities, see a show or enjoy the cinema space – right in the heart of their community.
“This is another exciting chapter in the transformation of Wythenshawe Town Centre.”
Joel Chandler, who is the Senior Development Manager at Muse, added that developers are ‘moving at pace’ with plans to give the town centre the ‘regeneration it deserves’.
“The food hall will be a hive for a range of local outlets and will provide new spaces for the community to spend time in and give the town’s nighttime economy a major boost.”
Emily Sergeant -
13th April 2022 
