A refuse collector in Epping Forest has shared the harrowing experience of verbal and physical abuse he endured while on the job. The incident, which involved a confrontation with an aggressive individual, highlights the growing issue of disrespect towards essential workers.
A refuse collector has spoken out about the 'degrading' treatment he and his fellow workers endure while doing their job. Cleveland, who works with the refuse and recycling collection company Terra Verde Services (TVS) for Epping Forest District Council, said he was left 'angry' and 'upset' after a confrontation with an aggressive man.Cleveland, who declined to give his first name, told the BBC: 'You're working in the snow, the rain, the cold, even when it's hot in the summer.
You just like to be treated how anyone else would like to be treated.' Cleveland recounted an incident in the village of Chigwell Row in December, while clearing a mess from the road. Holes had appeared in the recycling bags he and a colleague were collecting, causing a spill. A man emerged from a house and became verbally abusive. 'He had run up to my colleague, grabbed him and then pushed him, and then was holding onto our door handle so my colleague couldn't get inside the truck,' he said. The situation started to 'get heated' and the man 'climbed into the truck' and tried to steal Cleveland's phone, which was smashed in the scuffle. He said the man continued to stand in the way and tried to 'initiate a fight' so Cleveland pushed him away to 'get space'. He said the attacker continued trying to get inside the truck before both workers were eventually able to drive off. 'It's not a job that everyone wants to do.. but everyone needs their rubbish collected,' he said. He said he understood the nature of the job could frustrate people delayed in their journeys, but he had 'never had anything as bad as this one'.Joe Waller, TVS senior business manager, said respect for essential workers had deteriorated since the pandemic.'People were clapping them in the street. 'Five years later we're holding them up by two minutes, they're late for work and they start abusing them.' Mr Waller said all TVS vehicles had 360-degree cameras but the firm would have to consider body-worn alternatives. 'I'm sure they don't want to... but for their own safety it could be something potentially that we have to look at in the future,' he said. Epping Forest District Council said the incident was not reported to the police and the staff did not wish to press charges
REFUSE COLLECTOR ABUSE ESSENTIAL WORKERS EPPING FOREST UK
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