Been offered a job with the council but unsure.

[2chorizon]

Most people don't last a week "on the bin's"

What bad experiences have you heard about most people not lasting a week? I did reply but you must have missed the last message even though you've been back online here since .

Not sure where you are but round here there is an agency that employs for the bins, they have a running ad as most people start and then jack it in when they find out how hard it is.

Try it, you said "garden waste" so those bins may be lighter than the trash bins.

Most local councils employ their own binmen, the original post literally says "I've been offered a job with the local council"

They don't, they use alot of agency, and is this really "a job with the council"? or working for the council through an agency?

Best thing that can haopen is all you lot go and try it, and get bullied off the crew by some ex-con's for being too slow and whinging.

[Londonsburning]

Most people don't last a week "on the bin's"

What bad experiences have you heard about most people not lasting a week? I did reply but you must have missed the last message even though you've been back online here since .

Not sure where you are but round here there is an agency that employs for the bins, they have a running ad as most people start and then jack it in when they find out how hard it is.

Try it, you said "garden waste" so those bins may be lighter than the trash bins.

Most local councils employ their own binmen, the original post literally says "I've been offered a job with the local council"

They don't, they use alot of agency, and is this really "a job with the council"? or working for the council through an agency?

Best thing that can haopen is all you lot go and try it, and get bullied off the crew by some ex-con's for being too slow and whinging.

Not sure where you are either but refuse collections jobs here are council employees on job and finish making way more money than RM poverty wages. Mon-Fri basic and time and a half Saturday, double time Sunday if you want the OT

[Smoothbackground]

Most people don't last a week "on the bin's"

What bad experiences have you heard about most people not lasting a week? I did reply but you must have missed the last message even though you've been back online here since .

Not sure where you are but round here there is an agency that employs for the bins, they have a running ad as most people start and then jack it in when they find out how hard it is.

Try it, you said "garden waste" so those bins may be lighter than the trash bins.

Most local councils employ their own binmen, the original post literally says "I've been offered a job with the local council"

Some councils run their own refuse services and employ their own binmen. Many others, perhaps the majority, contract it out to the likes of Veolia etc. Many if not all use recruitment agencies all year round.

perhaps the majority

not in the UK

Also, check what you are trying to be a smart arse about, or at least get a life before blindly trying to shoot people down on here

If you look at London local authorities, which is where I’m originally from, most do contract out. The picture is likely to be the same elsewhere in the country — even where I live now the is contracted out. Veolia, Serco et al have the market sewn up.

[Londonsburning]

Lol

[Londonsburning]

I've been offered a 'seasonal post' with my local council, basically it's the Garden bins where I would work March to November with December-February off plus it's a 4 day week with a long weekend off and I still get 5 weeks holiday allowance plus bank holidays. I would work 38hrs a week (job and knock) but would get a wage for 27.5hrs over 12 months.
That is the up side.

The downside is that I would probably take home around £70 a week less than my 35hr current contract but I do have a p/t second job, live alone and mortgage is paid, I'm also 52 years old.
Been told the council may get you in some weeks over the winter anyway or you are free to get agency work over that period if you really wanted to in the 3 months you are off.

It really is a tough one, I'd probably miss the £70 a week although financially I will be fine but the benefits are also I'd be working a hell of a lot less, have most of the crappy winter at home and it would give me a foot in the door to maybe try for any internal jobs eventually if I really wanted to.

I do like my current job with RM but I'm starting to detest the indoor work, the constant lectures about the driving data on the vans, the managers talking down to you, the changes that never seem to benefit us and the lack of any pay increases. I've literally no idea if RM are giving us any pay increases this april.
My mate who also works on the garden bins had a £2k pay rise in their wage last year and are in line for a further 5% this April.

Would anyone in my position jump or stay?

This is the discussion here, Smoothbackground you are derailing yet another genuine question by a genuine postie for your own gain. Give it a rest pal

[Edward Hunter]

I think the bin men i have seen literally run around to get an early finish.If you are a postie "runner" you will piss it.If you are a cut off type of postie it probably wont suit.People underestimate how hard we physically work as posties, especially if you are on a HCT round.Few jobs compare.

[2chorizon]

Okay so i had a look local, £12.09/hr (rising in april with NMW)

Heavy lifting involved, average wheelie bin weight is 70kg but some can be up to 200kg due to people putting the wrong waste in them.
Although the bins are on wheels at these weights they can be difficult to move on uneven ground & the bottoms can give way when they go up on the tippers.

Road traffic is a major hazard esp due to teams working in peak rush hour due to resident complaints if they start collections too early in the morning.

I have a strong feeling that steel toecaps will be compulsory.

[BELIAL]

Please don’t get a new job,RM needs your cheap labour.

[LouBarlow]

They have made the rounds so big for the bin men round here that they don’t always collect. I wouldn’t go into the job expecting to finish early lol

[Mike G]

52, mortgage free and living alone I can't possibly understand how you couldn't manage on the council contract very comfortably and shouldn't need any additional hours or a second job.

Do you have quite expensive tastes of hobbies?

[2chorizon]

Standard 240 litre household wheelie bin weighs 13kg (Tare weight)

Max load weight 96kg

How many will you be expected to handle in a shift?

[Tman]

Too many.
Those contractors want their full pound of flesh.

[postiewhite]

They have made the rounds so big for the bin men round here that they don’t always collect. I wouldn’t go into the job expecting to finish early lol

That is simply not true. My friend works for them and has done most rounds and they are back 1-2 hours before their normal finish time, sometimes he is back at 12.30 and he is not one to run around.
My guess is you made that up.

[Jefferson Starfish]

They have made the rounds so big for the bin men round here that they don’t always collect. I wouldn’t go into the job expecting to finish early lol

That is simply not true. My friend works for them and has done most rounds and they are back 1-2 hours before their normal finish time, sometimes he is back at 12.30 and he is not one to run around.
My guess is you made that up.

You do realise things might be different in other parts of the country?

[postiewhite]

Okay so i had a look local, £12.09/hr (rising in april with NMW)

Heavy lifting involved, average wheelie bin weight is 70kg but some can be up to 200kg due to people putting the wrong waste in them.
Although the bins are on wheels at these weights they can be difficult to move on uneven ground & the bottoms can give way when they go up on the tippers.

Road traffic is a major hazard esp due to teams working in peak rush hour due to resident complaints if they start collections too early in the morning.

I have a strong feeling that steel toecaps will be compulsory.

Don't take it personally but I read your comments to my friend who does the same job with the same council and he basically laughed off most of what you said.
For a start they have got rid of the agency now because it was costing them too much money. The existing agency can apply for 'said' positions though.
He has never come across a bin that weighs 200kg or even close to that, heavy bins yes but manageable. Anything overflowing they do not take and instead put a yellow sticker on the bin. One has never collapsed from the bottom either.Ever!!

The start time is 7am and can start earlier to finish earlier and although they work in rush hour that is correct, I certainly wouldn't call it a "major" hazard to the job. He said the rounds can be done in 6 hours but there is no indoor work and although they are larger than a postie round you are doing it over 4 days with 3 days off together.
The grass may not be greener but there are going to be a lot of changes at Royal Mail, rounds will get even bigger and the payrises are minimal.They are literally monitoring us more than they ever did through PDA and driving data and it won't stop there.
Do we actually know what the payrise is this April? I would hazard a guess its no more than 2%

I first applied for a 12 month waste recycling position in 2022 and the wage was between £20,500 and £22,500, the last time I applied for the 12 month position in October 2024 the wage was between £24500 to £26500 so they have already had a £4k pay rise in two years and in April they are getting a 5% pay rise which is a further £1325 (£110 per month or £25 per week). The position I have been offered is over 9months so the top wage would be £22k which admittedly is a £4k drop for me but I would have the whole of the winter off and for the rest of the 9 months I would also have 5 weeks holiday, all bank holidays off except good Friday and 3 day weekends. I'm sure I'd be able to stomach the extra hard work for them perks.