Strike action by refuse workers in Canterbury, Whitstable and Herne Bay has been called off amid fears bin collections across a district could be heavily disrupted.

A two week strike was due to start on Monday, after GMB trade union members working for Canenco, the council-owned firm running waste collections and street cleaning, backed industrial action over a 30% pay rise demand.

But this afternoon, Canterbury City Council (CCC) announced workers will not be downing tools next week, as talks take place between the Canenco and the GMB.

A CCC spokesman said: “Earlier this week the GMB union announced possible strike action by its members who work for our waste collection company Canenco.

“That action was pencilled in for the coming weeks.

“Following an offer by Canenco to hold talks with the support of the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (known as Acas), the GMB has suspended action while those talks take place.

“We will post any further updates as required.”

Union bosses have previously warned residents could experience “severe disruption” to services, adding there could be more strikes in the summer.

They have also criticised the way negotiations have been handled, with one senior union official saying he had never “attended such a poor excuse for pay talks”.

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

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.

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 an already ongoing £2,000 drivers' retention bonus scheme to carry on 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 members were considering three months of industrial action in May, June and July.

But so far, the union only confirmed action from Monday (June 12) until June 25, which has since been cancelled.

Last week, members of the GMB Union working as refuse collectors in the Folkestone and Dover districts who took part in the latest consultation over industrial action voted 96.6% in favour of a walk-out.

And last month, Thanet bin workers said they will not go on strike.

GMB has been contacted for comment.