CUMBERLAND Council has said it is trying to 'minimise the impact' that bin strikes could have on residents and businesses in the west of the area, as trade unions continue their dispute with Allerdale Waste Services over pay.

Allerdale Waste Services is a wholly-owned trading company of Cumberland Council (formerly Allerdale Borough Council) and provides waste collection services for the authority.

Its workforce is therefore directly employed by Allerdale Waste Services.

The union Unite claims its pay rates are among the lowest for refuse workers in the UK.

The initial strike action, which will affect the town of Workington and the surrounding area, begins on Thursday, April 27 and ends on Sunday, April 30.

If a 'vastly improved pay offer' is not made then further action is expected in the coming weeks, the union has said.

From April 1, Cumberland council say employees from Allerdale Waste Services were awarded a 10.1 per cent pay rise which is based on the Foundation Living Wage - though with inflation so high, the union said this is still a real-terms pay cut.

The raise represents a loaders' rate of pay having increased by 21.1 per cent and a drivers' rate of pay having increased by 23.9 per cent since Allerdale Waste Services took over the waste contract in 2020, the council said.

Trade unions have since balloted their members for strike action based on demands which would see up to 32.6 per cent increase, which Allerdale Waste Services say is 'unaffordable'.

A Cumberland Council spokesperson said: “We are working with Allerdale Waste Services who are in dialogue with the trade union representatives on the proposed strike action.

"Our officers are looking at a number of different options to minimise the impact that this disruption could have on Cumberland residents and businesses.

"We will provide more updates in due course.”