BINMEN in Croydon have voted to strike over what they are claiming is a derisory two per cent pay offer.
But Councillor Phil Thomas, Croydon Council's cabinet member for highways and environmental services, is claiming the ballot turnout was so low there is no mandate for a strike.
The council's refuse collection contractor, Veolia Environmental Services, has also said the company hopes the low turnout will trigger new talks.
Onay Kasab, the Unite union's regional officer, confirmed on Wednesday that only 36 of the 170 union staff employed in Croydon had voted in the strike ballot with 22 being in favour and 14 against.
He said it was likely to be a couple of weeks before action – likely to be a three-day strike – took place, which left time for a resumption of talks.
Mr Kasab said if action was taken the union was confident it would be supported by many staff who had voted against or who had not voted at all.
Action would be co-ordinated with neighbouring Bromley where binmen have also voted overwhelmingly for strike action.
Mr Kasab said: "If the cabinet member is talking about a lack of a mandate, I suggest he looks at the turnouts in council elections. He is on dodgy ground."
Mr Kasab said: "My members are not being greedy. All they want is to be able to pay their bills. Fair pay for refuse workers need not cost council taxpayers a single extra penny.
"Veolia UK make £121 million a year in profits.
"Nobody needs a business degree to work out the money exists."
Mr Kasab said while the union was prepared to talk, there was no doubting the determination to pursue action if necessary.
He said: "This is not going to be a case of friendly pickets handing out a few leaflets.
"We are intending to block the gates of the Factory Lane depot to stop vehicles coming in or out and peacefully persuade people not to go to work."
Cllr Thomas said: "I don't think when only 36 people vote in a ballot and 14 of them are against a strike, the union has any mandate for action.
"What Veolia staff need to remember is that the only people they are going to inconvenience is their customers. I hope they will turn back from going on strike.
"I would not want to see the kind of problems which are being faced in Brighton, where the refuse collectors are on strike, here in Croydon. We want to both sides get back around the table."
A Veolia Environmental Services spokesperson 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 Croydon means we expect an early return to talks so that an amicable solution can be reached without resorting to industrial action."
