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Engineering workers at Fox’s Biscuits in Batley have voted to strike over what unions have branded a “paltry” pay offer.

The 42 workers, members of the Unite union, will stage two stoppages, meaning the production lines will have no engineering cover between 4am and 10am next Tuesday - April 21 - and Thursday - April 23.

Unite said the engineers at the Wellington Street site were angry at management’s offer of a 1% pay rise for the 12 months starting last August and a further 2% increase from August 1 this year. The union said there had been a 65% vote in favour of strike action.

Unite regional officer Sarah Mitchell said: “We believe that the offer for the pay year due to have started last August is paltry and insulting and the offer for year two is not much better. The fact that the company did not even come to us with an offer until November 17 – despite two previous meetings – makes it worse and leaves a sour taste in the mouth.

“We expect biscuit production to be disrupted and we call on the management to sit down with us to discuss a realistic pay offer from this profitable company before our members strike next week.”

Earlier this year, Fox’s Biscuits said it was seeking 80 redundancies from its 910-strong workforce at Batley.

The company is seeking up to 80 redundancies from its 910-strong workforce and a 45-day consultation is now underway between managers, employees and representatives of the Bakers Food and Allied Workers Union.

A spokeswoman for Fox’s parent, 2 Sisters Food Group, said: “We note the news from Unite about potential action next week by engineering colleagues at Batley. We are still in dialogue with Unite and their members and working hard to reach a mutually satisfactory resolution and avoid this.

“However, in the event of action taking place, we do not expect this to impact on our service to customers.”