Refuse collectors across parts of Kent have accepted a larger pay offer.

Biffa staff who work on Sheppey and in Sittingbourne and Faversham have accepted a pay rise worth more than 10%.

GMB, the union for waste and recycling services, confirmed the new deal will see loaders and street cleaners earn £12 an hour and LGV drivers £15.02.

Members working in the Ashford council area have also accepted the wage increase.

This constitutes the second pay rise this year for workers in the area, who six months ago won a pay rise to bring them on equal terms with those in Swale who were previously on a higher rate.

With this pay rise agreed, only Canterbury – currently in dispute with GMB – plus Dartford and Thanet, have failed to agree on a pay rise across all local authorities in Kent.

Frank Macklin, GMB regional organiser said: “We are very pleased to announce that Biffa has done the decent thing and recognised that our members need a proper pay rise to help them out with costs spiralling around them.

“It shows that even private contractors can find it in their deep pockets to pay a few crumbs from the table to our members who actually carry out the dangerous and back-breaking work.

“It does though highlight the fact that Canterbury are dragging their heels, even with the workers being out on strike and rubbish beginning to pile up.

“If Canenco can’t afford to pay their workers properly, they’ve obviously failed as a business.

“Canterbury City Council need to look at every other local authority in Kent and pay their workers what is obviously the going rate.”

Thousands of homes in the Canterbury area are seeing their rubbish pile up as bin worker walk-outs reach their fifth day today.

The indefinite strike action has been taken by GMB Union members in the town after a breakdown in negotiations with Canenco – the waste contractor set up and owned by the city council.

For more information visit the Canterbury City Council webiste.