A small protest took place outside City Hall last Monday evening.
As councillors made their way into the building for their November meeting, they were met by a group representing the People Before Profit Alliance, who were protesting at proposals to privatise the city’s waste collection service.
Spokesperson for the group Tom Hogan said the move would be entirely against workers.
“We came down because, as far as we’re concerned, the proposal to privatise the bin service is against the interest of the people working in the cleansing department of Waterford corporation,” he said.
“It’s against jobs, against the environment and against the citizens who are customers of City Council services,” he added.
Along with the loss of jobs, Mr Hogan outlined that the group feared that wages, conditions, and health and safety standards which have been built up over the years, would not apply anymore.
As councillors made their way into the meeting, they were asked individually by Mr Hogan and his group as to where their support lied.
“Some were against privatisation in principle, and there were one or two commitments that they wouldn’t agree with a hike in charges,” explained Mr Hogan.
“Others said, if figures are put forward, they’ll see the figures and look at it then.”
No decision has yet been made on the matter, but tenders have been sought from the private sector.
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