East Ayrshire Council has said it has not yet been officially notified of industrial action among its waste and recycling staff.

East Ayrshire is one of 13 council areas in Scotland where waste and recycling workers affiliated with the GMB union have voted in favour of industrial action.

And members of another union, Unite, have also given their backing to industrial action at all three Ayrshire local authorities.

READ MORE: Cleansing and waste workers at all three Ayrshire councils set to strike

GMB Scotland said no meaningful talks had taken place with the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (Cosla) since May, when the latest pay offer was rejected.

Unite, Scotland’s largest union, announced on May 29 that it had served industrial action notices to 29 councils in an escalating pay row.

Refuse workers in the GMB Scotland union in East Ayrshire have voted in favour of strike action.Refuse workers in the GMB Scotland union in East Ayrshire have voted in favour of strike action. (Image: NQ Archive)

Unite said that strike action could begin as early as July, if industrial action was backed.

The last strike by waste and recycling workers employed by East Ayrshire Council (EAC) saw bin collections suspended from August 24-31, 2022.

That strike also affected bin uplifts in neighbouring South Ayrshire, but this time around EAC is the only Ayrshire council set to be affected.

READ MORE: East Ayrshire union's members back industrial action

An East Ayrshire Council spokesperson said: "East Ayrshire Council is aware that the GMB union held a ballot that met the threshold for strike action.

"The council has not received formal notification of any planned action and therefore, can provide no further information at this time."

Keir Greenaway, GMB Scotland senior organiser for public services, said: “Council leaders refuse to have meaningful talks – all while blocking the Scottish Government’s intervention to deliver a pay offer that matches our members’ value.

"They are counting down the clock while our members go without."

A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “Local government pay negotiations are a matter for local authorities as employers and unions – the Scottish Government has no formal role.

“The Scottish Government urges all parties involved to work together constructively and reach an agreement which is fair for the workforce and affordable for employers.”