BINMEN and cemetery workers may go on strike over a contract dispute that most of them have signed up to.

Their joint trade unions have served notice to Warrington Borough Council that there will be a ballot of their members for industrial action.

Environment Services workers were told they would be made redundant and offered new contracts and 174 out of 175 workers have signed up.

However the unions said the majority of workers signed up under protest based on advice from the union's solicitors.

The industrial action ballot will be over the way the contracts were introduced.

The changes, and possible action, will affect staff working in cemeteries, street services, parks and gardens, and waste services.

A union spokesman said: "The fault lies with management who have not followed the required consultation and negotiation routes."

The council said the new contracts will bring about equality of pay and opportunity across the service and improvements in pay and conditions, and a better career structure.

It said it has had regular meetings with the unions, contrary to their claims.

Paula Darlington, the council's head of environment services, said: "We have scrupulously followed all the consultation procedures.

"Our clear understanding is there is widespread workforce satisfaction over the outcome of the review."