BINMEN will consider strike action if a council goes ahead with its plan to impose new contracts.

Refuse workers in Redcar and Cleveland are planning a strike ballot after being notified that their terms of employment are to change.

Under new agreements, they would be obliged to work as late as 9pm, without extra pay, leaving bins at the end of streets rather than taking them back to people's doors.

The proposals, drafted by Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council in a bid to make refuse collection more cost-effective, could save up to £203,454 a year.

But binmen say that they are an insult to themselves and residents. They plan to mount a legal challenge over the way the council is trying to introduce them.

John McDade, a regional officer for the public workers' union, Unison, said: "Our members have been served with notices that their contracts are being terminated and that they are being re-engaged under new conditions."

These were legally flawed as they gave less than the required 12 weeks' notice, he said, and claimed that collecting refuse up to 9pm would pose problems for both the binmen and residents. After the council refused to withdraw the proposals at a meeting last week, Mr McDade said there may be no option left but to strike.

The council's chief executive, Colin Moore, said: "The council has been negotiating for two years to improve cleansing services, with an evening shift until 9pm. The trade unions have reneged on a previous agreement in principle.

"Notwithstanding that, we have agreed to continue negotiations with the unions and to seek the assistance of Acas."