The union says the scenes are like the docks in the 1930s

Agency staff arrive at Turnpike House on Eccles New Road for work as refuse workers and road sweepers - but are given �20 if none is available.

Leaders of the Transport and General Workers Union (T&G) are meeting MPs in Westminster to discuss the situation.

The council said unions were involved in the agreement covering agency staff.

The T&G said many of the agency workers turn up at 0530 GMT to find out if they are needed to either drive refuse vehicles or pick up wheelie bins.

Those not selected are sent home with a compensation payment of �20 and labourers �10.

They pick you out off of a line-up you may as well say Barry Lancett

The temps do not have to turn up and can wait on a phone call at home, but miss out on the compensation payment if they are not needed.

Agency worker Barry Lancett said he had been turning up for work at the depot for five months.

"It could be an hour, it could be five hours, waiting to be picked. If you don't get picked then they say, 'Right, there's no work.'

"They pick you out off of a line-up you may as well say," said Mr Lancett.

Mr Lancett is paid �6.75 an hour as an agency worker, while a council employee doing the same job earns �8.49.

'Shameful'

Neil Clarke, the T&G official for the council, said: "It is shameful that Salford council has allowed this discriminatory two-tier workforce.

"All these workers are doing the same jobs and all of them are providing a service to Salford people - they should receive the same pay and conditions.

"The practice of workers having to wait in a group to see who is picked for work that day is more like Salford Docks in the 1930s. Surely it should not be happening in Salford council in the 21st century."

A Salford City Council spokesman said: "Through negotiations, the trade union has helped us find flexible and cost-effective ways of providing services, using agency staff.

"Agency staff provide one solution, but we are certainly willing to continue working with the unions to find alternatives wherever possible."

Dave Tinker, deputy director for the environment at Salford Council, said he had negotiated with the unions and agencies to secure better terms and conditions for agency workers.

"Salford is not the exception here. This is how agencies work within the public and private sectors," he added.