NEARLY 200 waste management workers in Merseyside were celebrating today after a threat to strike forced bosses to concede an inflation-busting pay deal.

The Unite union confirmed that walkouts at 22 Veolia household waste sites will not now go ahead after staff accepted a backdated 10 per cent wage boost for 2022-23 and an 8.4 per cent rise for 2023-24.

The lowest-paid workers are also set to receive a one-off payment of £375, the union stressed.