A district-wide bin strike has been avoided after a last-ditch pay offer was accepted by workers.

Bin workers in Thanet will no longer be taking industrial action, after a “bumper” pay offer from Thanet District Council.

Members of the GMB union working as refuse, recycling and street cleaning operatives first notified their intention to strike in May, but action was paused after parties returned to the negotiating table last week.

Today, the trade union confirmed that action had officially been called off after the council offered a further 5.75% on top of its previous offer, reaching “similar terms” to the rates of £15 an hour for drivers and £12 for loaders, secured by refuse workers in Canterbury earlier this month.

GMB describes this as the “going rate” for workers in the south of England, secured by refuse workers after 67 days of strike action.

On September 7, it was announced staff employed by Canenco - the company owned by Canterbury City Council to manage waste collections – would return to work, with the pay rise set to come into force from November 1.

In Thanet, bins are collected directly by the council, and binmen are employed by TDC.

Frank Macklin, GMB Organiser, said: “Thanet residents will be relieved to hear that the council have done the right thing and agreed to pay their refuse and recycling workers the going rate for the job.

“It’s clear Thanet Council didn’t want a long-protracted and messy dispute like the one seen in Canterbury.

“This result is testament to the determination of GMB members in Thanet who were willing to strike to get the pay rates they deserve, as well as their colleagues in Canterbury who made huge personal sacrifices to demonstrate what refuse workers should be paid.

“This campaign will now continue to spread across the South East and our message to refuse workers is clear: contact GMB and we will be happy to help you win a better pay deal.”