<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Thousands of </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/melbourne" rel="" target="" title="Melbourne"><span>Melbourne</span></a><span> households will be forced to cram their rubbish into full bins this week, as kerbside collectors from several councils </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/strike" rel="" target="" title="walked off the job"><span>walked off the job</span></a><span> today over pay and conditions.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Waste collectors from Hume, Darebin and Merri-bek councils began strike action this morning, seeking a 10 per cent pay increase this year, followed by 4 per cent increases every year over the next three years.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"They have watched their wages fall by 10 per cent in real terms over the last four years," Australian Services Union (ASU) National Branch Secretary Tash Wark said.</span><br/><br/><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/australian-virgin-flight-attendant-lucinta-evans-dies-in-fiji/e7e0a8d4-e6b3-477c-b3bc-fe303b0342c3" rel="" target="_blank" title=""><strong><span>Australian flight attendant dies after road accident in Fiji</span></strong></a></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Household bins and public bins across Melbourne's north weren't emptied today, forcing residents to wait another week until they are collected.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The City of Hume was the worst hit, with around 70 workers walking off the job.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Merri-Bek and Darebin councils were able to bring in in casual staff to minimise the impact on ratepayers. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Wark said residents in Hume would "have to wait".</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/national/garbage-collection-strike-melbourne/2d049437-6bed-46f2-9b2e-9ea4e2b68b3b" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"We're sorry about that, but we need to make sure our members are seen and heard."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Council worker wages have fallen between seven and 12 per cent since 2021, according to the union.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"ASU members have had a gutful of being left behind while the rate capping policy has really torn down wages in local government," Wark said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"They're striking today to seek a 10 per cent pay rise, which only goes part of the way to make up from the cost of living and inflation they've been subjected to in the last few years."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/rohan-dennis-olympic-cyclist-message-on-instagram-after-wife-melissa-hoskins-death/c332d340-5306-4a37-9a54-4771e5188c58" target="_blank"><strong><span>Former Olympic cyclist Rohan Dennis accuses media of peddling 'false narrative' after wife's death</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Union members claim they haven't received a pay rise in almost two years.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Our members have been fighting for a year and a half just to get to the table," Wark said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Our members are doing this action regretfully, it is not their first choice, they love their jobs, they're really proud of the communities they support but this is where we're at."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Hume garbage collector Jayden Watson said the wage stagnation had put him behind in his goal of buying a home.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"I try to work hard, I try to stay behind and do more hours... [but] I'm falling behind whilst trying to save money," Watson said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"We all need to pay bills. Some people are struggling to get food on the table."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>In a joint response, the affected councils said negotiations with the ASU was ongoing.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"While we acknowledge the legal right of the ASU to take protected industrial action, these actions affect our communities, which is regrettable," the councils said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"We are keeping our communities informed on how any industrial action may affect them.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/ben-roberts-smith-arrested-suspicion-of-war-crimes/eecd47fa-2781-4337-b032-1c4982c3c91b" target="_blank"><strong><span>Ben Roberts-Smith arrested as part of war crimes investigation</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"We ask our communities for their patience and we will continue to negotiate in good faith with all unions representing our staff."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>In addition to the pause on rubbish collection, parking officers in the the cities of Yarra, Maribyrnong and Melbourne also stopped work today.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Local councils claim they're restricted in what they can offer employees, due to the state government's rate-capping policy. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Every time workers sit down to bargain with councils, they're told the rate cap means that they can't meet their demands. It's not good enough," Wark said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"It's a simple question of priorities: if the government can find money for politicians like councillors whose wages have gone up by over 10 per cent, they can find the money for the people who pick up the rubbish," Wark said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/severe-storms-winter-blast-south-east-australia-weather-this-week/af5772b5-375b-471d-b107-9f50eb8bfff5" target="_blank"><strong><span>Winter blast to leave states reeling before severe storms this week</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>But Acting Premier Ben Carroll insisted the rate cap was a vital measure for the broader community.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"The rates cap is a really important cost-of-living measure that supports hardworking Victorians every day," he said. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>A second bargaining meeting was scheduled for today.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>If an agreement is not reached at that meeting, further council worker strikes are scheduled for Darebin, Greater Dandenong, Hobsons Bay, Hume, Maribyrnong, Melbourne, Merri-Bek and Yarra tomorrow.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"It will be things like parks not being mowed, library disruptions, no parking tickets being issued," Wark said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Anything a council worker does is going to get disrupted in the next little while.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"We will keep taking action until members get what they deserve."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><em><strong><span>NEVER MISS A STORY:</span></strong></em><span> </span><em><span>Get your breaking news and exclusive stories first by following us across all platforms.</span></em></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><ul><li><p><em><strong><span>Download the 9NEWS App here via</span></strong></em><span> </span><a href="https://apps.apple.com/au/app/9news/id1010533727"><em><strong><span>Apple</span></strong></em></a><span> </span><em><strong><span>and</span></strong></em><span> </span><a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=nineNewsAlerts.nine.com&amp;hl=en_AU&amp;pli=1"><em><strong><span>Google Play</span></strong></em></a></p></li><li><p><em><strong><span>Make 9News your preferred source on Google by</span></strong></em><span> </span><a href="https://9.nine.com.au/8x987w"><em><strong><span>ticking this box here</span></strong></em></a></p></li><li><p><em><strong><span>Sign up to</span></strong></em><span> </span><a href="https://login.nine.com.au/edm?client_id=nineatnine"><em><strong><span>our breaking newsletter here</span></strong></em></a></p></li></ul></div></div>