Around 60 refuse workers could be set to strike next month - with North Herts Council facing the prospect of a worrying failure in keeping residents free from rotting rubbish on our streets.

Bin lorry drivers, rubbish collectors and road sweepers who are contracted to North Herts Council are planning to take industrial action next month, if a strike ballot gets enough support.

Members of the GMB union who work for council contractor Urbaser in its Letchworth depot - as well as Buntingford in East Herts - are gearing up for a strike ballot, in an ever-escalating dispute concerning pay.

If strike action goes ahead, it will affect services across North Herts including Letchworth.

The union warned it could mean "rubbish being left uncollected and streets not being swept," with household waste "left to pile up and rot".

The GMB Union said: "Our members keep the local environment clean. They are undertaking heavy, dirty work in all weathers, 52 weeks of the year.

"Urbaser are refusing to give one single penny of company sick pay to workers who fall ill, leaving sick people to rely on paltry statutory sick pay.

"Urbaser are a multimillion-pound international company, but unlike other refuse contractors such as Biffa, Veolia and Serco who have company sick pay schemes, 

"Urbaser leave their sick staff to rely solely on the government hand out. We say that it is only reasonable that Urbaser should introduce a company sick pay scheme."

In a joint statement from North Herts District Council and East Herts District Council, it said: "Urbaser has notified us that GMB union members at their Letchworth and Buntingford depots have plans to undertake a strike ballot next month.

"In the event of a strike, we will work with Urbaser to minimise disruption to residents and ensure any affected residents are kept up to date.

"We are unable to comment further as we have no involvement in pay negotiation conversations between Urbaser and GMB."