A SERIES of one-day strikes that could have left Thanet without rubbish or recycling collections have been called off.

Union GMB had threatened industrial action due to a dispute over pay bargaining powers for its representatives at the district council.

But just days before the disruption was due to start, the authority proposed a ‘new employee council’, which will be a negotiating body for staff pay and conditions.

This will be made up of representatives from the GMB union and Unison, which currently has the sole right to negotiate over pay and conditions. Representation on the new council will be decided on a proportional basis, determined by how many members each union has working at the local authority.

Had the strikes gone ahead, waste and recycling collection services would have been affected.

Council deputy leader Cllr Roger Latchford, said: "We are delighted that we have been able to resolve this dispute without the need for industrial action. That was the last thing we wanted, as we realised the impact that it would have on local people.

"We have worked hard with both the GMB and Unison to come to an arrangement that everyone can agree on and I’d like to thank both unions for the constructive discussions that have taken place to resolve this.

"The important thing is that these vital frontline services to our residents will not be disrupted and people can continue to put out their waste and recycling for collection as usual."