Unite the Union hold protest outside of Allerdale House, Workington

The workers have been on strike since May 16 in the dispute over low pay.

They are employed by Allerdale Waste Services (AWS) which is a company fully owned by Cumberland Council.

Workers and residents from the area held a protest outside of Allerdale House, Workington on Thursday.

The demonstration coincided with the date when AWS can no longer legally use agency workers - a change which has the potential to heighten the effects of the strike.

Refuse workers let off flares and flew flags outside the building (Image: Unite)

However, AWS said it has continued to 'try and manage public disruption' within the strikes by employing workers on temporary contracts.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Allerdale Waste Services and Cumberland council need to stop playing games and prolonging the strike action.

"Refuse workers play an essential frontline role and must be paid fairly and decently.

“The excuses need to end, and the employers must return to the negotiating table and make our members a fair pay offer. It’s as simple as that.”

Some members of Unite at the protest (Image: Unite)

An Allerdale Waste Services spokesperson said: “We are incredibly disappointed to see that Unite are proposing to hold a demonstration the day after a scheduled meeting with ACAS, ourselves, and Cumberland Council officers.

“By doing this, it would appear that Unite are pre-empting the outcome of the reconciliation meeting, prolonging the strike and have no intentions of coming to any agreement to bring the industrial action to a close.

The members of Unite who have been on all out strike since May, 16. (Image: Unite)

"We can however clarify that the meeting last week was an initial scoping meeting, facilitated by ACAS, to map out and agree how to proceed. It wasn’t a negotiation meeting.

“Despite the demonstration, we still remain hopeful that the parties can reach a resolution and that our employees can get back to work as soon as possible.”