Rubbish could pile high in Canterbury, Herne Bay and Whitstable after refuse workers voted to strike over a 30% pay rise demand.

GMB trade union members working for Canenco - the council-owned firm running waste collections and street cleaning - have backed industrial action today.

Union bosses have today warned residents could experience “severe disruption” to services between June 12 - June 25, with potential for more strikes in the summer.

But rubbish disposal chiefs said contingency planning for waste collection are already underway.

GMB balloted frontline Canenco staff for two weeks before revealing members voted 100% in favour of industrial action.

Union bosses have said workers – who last year received an 8% pay rise secured by a separate union, Unison - need higher wages to cope with the cost-of-living crisis, with many workers forced to use food banks to make ends meet.

Mark Turner, the union’s branch secretary. said: “I’ve never in all my time representing GMB members in pay discussions ever attended such a poor excuse for pay talks.

“Canenco have never intended to negotiate with the GMB meaningfully, and while we accept that in the past, they have simply sought to just impose a pay award after making out to reach a mutually agreeable deal.

“They have now come up against a union that has not only listened to its members, but one who will now seek to progress robustly a valid and well overdue pay increase which doesn’t just mean in real terms a pay cut and continued in work pay poverty.”

GMB union members have rejected Canenco's pay offer of 3.8% for its drivers and 4.6% for loaders.

The company's offer also includes a one off £400 cost of living payment for all staff and the preservation of a £2,000 already ongoing drivers' retention bonus for one more year.

It has been reported members voted 100% to reject the company’s offer on a turnout of 80.85%.

Last year Canenco negotiated an 8% pay increase with Unison, which this year is itself fighting for a 20% hike.

It was previously reported GMB were considering three months of industrial action in May, June and July.

But so far, the union has only confirmed action from next Monday (June 12) until June 25.

Asked if members could still push ahead with a summer of strikes, GMB regional organiser Gary Palmer, said: “Yes, that of course could be a possibility, but we would do so in stages as we would never just issue one notice for that length of period right off.”

Earlier this year, a planned bin workers' strike in Ashford was called off at the last minute after an 11th hour deal was secured by GMB with waste firm Biffa.

The union cancelled the walk-outs just days before they were due to take place following an improved pay offer, despite claiming the increase could have been better.

GMB says its membership has continued to grow at Canenco and includes the majority of HGV drivers, so it is "confident any action would have a significant impact on service provision".

The city council’s Labour leader Alan Baldock said: “The door is still open for negotiations. I would encourage both parties to work through a solution and I’m sure there’s a path.

“I hope the impact can be mitigated and we will work through the problems.

“I’m hopeful the strike won’t happen and a solution will be found.

“It’s not a done deal and let’s see what happens this week.”

The district’s bin lorry drivers are paid an average of £26,399 - plus a £2,000 retention bonus - while those loading the trucks receive £21,690, the city council says.

It means a 30% rise would see base salaries boosted to £34,319 and £28,197 respectively.

Canenco director David Maidman said the level of disruption is unknown but contingency plans are underway.

"We have a strong track record of working constructively on pay and other issues with Unison which currently holds the recognition agreement for the majority of our staff,” he said.

“We are naturally very disappointed that the GMB has rejected what we feel is a fair offer - a £1,000 per year increase in salaries, a one-off cost of living payment of £400 plus keeping the ongoing drivers’ £2,000 retention bonus for another year.

“We have made it clear we are more than willing to carry on talking so we can avoid any disruption to waste collections and the inevitable inconvenience that will bring to the district’s residents. That includes the involvement of The Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service.

"Our focus remains on talks to resolve this situation, but as you would expect, contingency planning for the waste collection service is underway, despite it being difficult to know the extent of the disruption until we know who decides to work or strike on each day."

A council spokesman said: "We urge the GMB and Canenco to continue to work calmly and constructively towards an amicable agreement that secures a fair deal for both Canenco staff and hard-pressed council taxpayers at a time when council finances are under enormous strain which pay for frontline services across the board.”