RESIDENTS of a housing estate in Sheffield are rallying behind waste disposal workers on strike for more than six months in a battle for trade union recognition.

Supportive placards and posters have appeared in Wybourn estate, one of the communities affected by Unite members’ strike action, employed by multinational corporation Veolia.

Unite said the company agreed to recognise the union and even drew up the agreement before inexplicably performing a U-turn.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “In all my years in the union movement I have never known a deal to be this close, only for the employer to back out and betray the workforce at the last minute.

“Veolia had offered recognition and we had accepted. To go back on its word is an act of utter cowardice.”

Unite has now taken the dispute into communities, today holding a meeting for residents to meet strikers.

Wybourn resident Andy Rollson said: “I have been a resident of Sheffield for 50 years and I think it’s wrong that a company like Veolia can charge taxpayers millions of pounds for their service but refuse to recognise workers’ rights at their depot.

“These workers are taxpayers too and deserve respect.”

Resident Beverley Hustelby said: “I have lived in Sheffield for 59 years now and I think it’s outrageous that working people are treated with such contempt.”

The company said: “Veolia’s focus remains on supporting our team locally and keeping services and collections running for the residents of Sheffield, who we are proud to serve.”