Bins across East Suffolk could be left overflowing later this summer after refuse collectors in the district threatened strike action in a pay row with the council.

Refuse staff working for East Suffolk Norse are threatening to go on strike if bosses do not deliver a swift pay rise. They have already voted overwhelmingly for action in a consultative ballot organised by their union UNISON.

Staff will now move to a formal industrial action ballot unless Norse and East Suffolk Council make a meaningful offer, the union said.

A spokesman for the union said many workers are earning barely above the minimum wage and struggling to make ends meet.

Staff asked in June for a rise that would take the lowest-paid workers over £12 an hour, but Norse — which is wholly owned by Norfolk County Council — and East Suffolk Council, which retains a direct say in the contract, have yet to respond the union claimed.

It warned that services are suffering as workers are forced to look for better-paid jobs elsewhere and replacements can’t be found.

UNISON rep Tyler Wythe said: “East Suffolk Norse doesn’t seem to understand the seriousness of the situation we’re in.

“Some of us are forced to rely on family or friends for housing, food banks to eat and loans to pay the bills. We can’t go on like this.

“The last thing any of us want is to strike and cause disruption to East Suffolk residents but we’ve run out of options to make the employers listen.”

A spokesman for East Suffolk Council said: “The joint venture company, which is a partnership between East Suffolk Norse and East Suffolk Council to deliver operational services, has been in discussion with union representatives regarding pay and has been working to a timetable which has been agreed by all parties.

“We are therefore surprised by the timing of this statement from Unison, not least because we feel that discussions to date have been positive and amicable.

"Union representatives are aware that we will shortly be presenting an offer to them and we have been given no reason to believe that there are any concerns about the direction this process is taking.”