BINMEN in Bromley have voted to strike after rejecting a two per cent pay rise offer.

The Unite union members, who are employed as binmen in the borough, are now set to start their strikes within the next four weeks.

They say they have decided to strike because the union is demanding a pay rise which meets the real cost of living and they say their pay has not kept up with inflation.

The workers for Veolia Environmental Services, which collects household waste on behalf of Bromley Council, will be joined on strike by Unite members in Croydon who also rejected the two per cent pay rise.

Now Veolia workers in Camden are also being consulted on the same offer.

Unite regional officer Onay Kasab said: "My members are not being greedy. All they want is to be able to pay the bills.

“Fair pay for refuse workers need not cost council tax payers a single extra penny.

“Veolia UK made £121m in profits.

“Nobody needs a business degree to work out that the money exists. Nor are we calling for special treatment - Unite will and does support workers in different industries and services fighting for fair pay across the country.

"We will give the company time to make a new offer.

“Now they know the strength of feeling that exists, they can avoid strike action with a fair offer.

"But we are sending a clear message today - we will take the necessary action to win fair pay."

A Veolia Environmental Services spokesman said: “We are very disappointed with the decision to take industrial action as we feel we have offered an extremely good pay rise given today’s financial climate and the fact that the public sector have had a three-year pay freeze. 

"Given that the turnout for the ballot was so low in Bromley with only 73 out of 219 employees voting with just 60 yes votes means we expect an early return to talks so that an amicable solution can be reached without resorting to industrial action.”