Bin collections in Croydon are set to be disrupted by three days of strikes after union members voted to walk out in protest over pay.

The Unite union warned residents to expect major disruption as workers in Bromley also prepare to strike to maximise the industrial action's impact.

No dates have been fixed, but the walkouts will be staged within a month after workers were balloted on Friday.

Union members rejected a two per cent pay rise offer from Veolia, which runs the service for the council.

Unite is pushing for a pay rise closer to the rate of inflation, which today rose to 2.7 per cent.

Onay Kasab, Unite's regional officer, said: "We are demanding a pay increase in line with the cost of living. Year after year, the pay rises have been below inflation, so in effect they are pay cuts year after year.

"The reality is the cost some individual items - clothing, utility bills, rents in London, especially - are well above the headline inflation rate.

"So we are expecting employers to come along with a pay offer that meets us somewhere near the inflation rate and they have failed to do so."

He added: "We will be taking strike action on both sites at the same time and we make no apology for that. It is to cause disruption.

"We hope the employer sees sense before any strike action."

A Veolia spokesman said: "We are very disappointed with the decision to take industrial action as we feel we have offered an extremely good pay rise given today’s financial climate and the fact the public sector have had a three-year pay freeze."

He added ballot turnout had been low - with 36 out of 300 employees voting - and said the company hoped to continue talks with the union.

Croydon Council will meet with Veolia this week to discuss plans to minimise incovenience during any strike.

A council spokesman said: "We understand the company is still in urgent talks with the union about how the proposed industrial action can be averted."