Striking workers at a vinyl flooring factory in Whitefield have planned further action after rejecting the latest pay offer from their employer.
GMB Union members at Polyflor have announced a further two weeks of industrial action after being offered at eight per cent pay increased and a £400 one off payment by their employer.
Workers have cancelled strike days due to take place on Thursday, October 27 and Monday, October 31, after a period of company mandated holiday was reinstated after previously being withdrawn.
READ MORE: Polyflor Whitefield workers announce fresh strike action
Union members at Polyflor first downed tools in September in a dispute with the business over pay, asking for a 10 per cent pay increase to help them cope with the increased cost of living.
GMB regional organiser John Waddington said the offer had been rejected "overwhelmingly" and union members have planned two weeks of strike action starting from Monday, October 31.
He said: “A 97 per cent turnout of the eligible members voted 97 per cent to reject the offer.
READ MORE: Bury leaders condemn Polyflor staff suspensions
“The employer cancelled our shutdown week, we all go on holiday this week, they cancelled it so as a result we hadn’t planned any strike action because we were all on holiday.
“As a result we planned some strike action, last week, with a weeks’ notice, they reversed that decision and allowed us to all go on holiday this week so we of course cancelled the strike action we had in place.
“What’s on the card is, next Monday (October 31), an all-out strike for a fortnight.”
READ MORE:Polyflor Whitefield's parent company in profit amid strikes
Polyflor has been criticised by local leaders after suspending shifts for workers in response to planned strike action in September.
In a letter to the company, Bury South MP Christian Wakefield condemned the suspensions, calling the move "fire and rehire lite".
Council leader, Cllr Eamonn O’Brien, also expressed his support for striking workers, urging the company come to a solution with its employees “which excludes the threat” of lay-offs.
Polyflor have declined to comment about the latest strike development.
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