Sheffield TUC Motion on AMEY PLC and Tree Felling in Sheffield passed at Delegate Meeting 27.03.2018

Sheffield TUC opposes the consequences of the PFI deal for street improvements in Sheffield which has led to both widespread removal of the trees and the failure to meet the timescales for road improvements. If this work had been delivered in-house by a council service, the trees management programme could have been managed with a discussion with local residents and tree campaigners.

As it is, the actions of Amy plc have both failed the council’s road improvement ambitions and undermined the reputation of Sheffield’s environmental credentials.

We welcome the recent decision to pause the tree felling which is causing unacceptable levels of disputation.

We call on the Sheffield Labour Group to support the immediate, mediated settlement to the felling of Sheffield’s street trees and a reappraisal of the Amey contract with a view to bringing it back in house as a municipally-owned direct works operation as soon as possible.

We support the GMB members at Amey PLC in their current dispute with their employers regarding their pay and conditions and health and safety concerns.

We also call for an immediate cessation of the use of private security guards and police, particularly their use of heavy handed tactics against protestors which has shocked not only Sheffield citizens, but has caused appalling negative publicity nationally for the city.