A SOUTH Belfast councillor has called on Belfast City Council to launch a recruitment drive to attract more women and ethnic minority refuse collectors.
 
Cllr Geraldine McAteer was speaking after widespread issues with bin collections over the festive period due to staff shortages and sickness.

We reported last week that a lack of drivers led to bins not being collected over the Christmas and new year period. 
 
“There are a lot of councillors who have been dissatisfied by the level of cleansing in both the city centre and the rate at which bin collections are being missed across the city,” the Sinn Féin councillor said.
 
“A taskforce was established to look at what could be done within the city centre and from that we know that we do not have the full complement of staff that we need to undertake the cleansing duties in the city at the moment.”

MORE WOMEN: Cllr McAteer said there are few women in the roles
2Gallery

MORE WOMEN: Cllr McAteer said there are few women in the roles


 

Cllr McAteer said that the flu outbreak over the festive period resulted in a number of staff having to take sick leave and that the Council had to draft in agency workers.
 
“We have an issue where we do not have enough staff available,” she continued.
 
“In addition to that, we have issues where the larger vehicles are finding it difficult to get down busy streets so we need smaller vehicles.
 
“In terms of attracting and retaining staff, it strikes me that there are very few women and ethnic minorities on the waste team so if we are looking for solutions to this problem and if staffing is one of them, it is important that we look at how we can plug that gap.”

Addressing the People and Communities Committee meeting on Tuesday evening, Cllr McAteer said that she believes it would be very useful for the Council to look at how it could attract women to the profession.
 
“I am not just talking about the odd woman, but women on a scale were coming into that aspect of work in sufficient numbers.
 
“I asked that we explore the possibility of recruiting for roles in a way that is attractive to women, and I have asked for a report to be brought back on that.”
 
Among the proposals being brought forward by Geraldine are suggestions of offering part-time contracts, job shares and on the job training.
 
“I think we need to think outside the box,” she continued.

“When I am looking around I don’t see too many women lifting the bins, driving the lorries or working in the recycling centres and I think that a lot of young women would be up for this.
 
“The starting salary is around £21,500 and Council really do have very good terms and conditions with good pensions.
 
“These are jobs with good upward mobility and while we have a lot of women at the managerial end of that department, there is a gap at ground level and I do think that women have a certain skill when it comes to problem solving which would be very useful when it comes to getting our bins collected,” she said.
 
Cllr McAteer added that she wants to ensure that the Council would be taking in line with employment law and hopes that it will open up new avenues for women and ethnic minorities across the city.