A total of 60 refuse collectors in West Cumbria are set to begin strike action later this month over pay.
The workers, members of Unite, are employed by Allerdale Waste Services.
The union said workers were paid £10.90 an hour as loaders and drivers were paid £11.89.
The rates came into effect from the beginning of this month when the employer imposed a 10.1 per cent increase. However, the union said it was an overall real terms pay cut, with the real inflation rate standing at 13.8 per cent.
Even with the recent pay increase, the pay rates are among the lowest for refuse workers in the UK, the union claimed.
The union said if a vastly improved pay offer was not made then further action was expected in the coming weeks.
Allerdale Waste Services is a private company which was created by the former Allerdale council and is now wholly owned by Cumberland Council, which came into being on April 1.
Unite regional officer Lewis Watson said: “The strike action will inevitably result in large-scale disruption as residents’ bins will go uncollected.
“But this dispute is entirely the fault of management at Allerdale Waste Services, who have had every opportunity to make a fair pay offer but have failed to do so.
“Allerdale Waste Services and Cumberland council must stop prevaricating and make our members a fair offer.”
