Around 180 press manufacturing workers held strike action yesterday afternoon and today (Friday December 5), but will be back on work on Monday.
There is further action planned for next Friday (12 December) when 171 technical, managerial and clerical staff will walk out unless agreement is reached. All the staff engaged in industrial action are members of the manufacturing and engineering union Amicus.

Amicus regional officer with responsibility for Goss Graphic Systems Ron Ralph said that the dispute stemmed from a 2% pay rise offered to workers in January this year, which was then withdrawn.

They [Goss Graphic Systems management] argued that there wasnt a great deal of work in the factory, which is when the shop floor workers balloted for an overtime ban. But since then more work has appeared in the factory, said Ralph.
He added that the union wanted to engage with management to reach agreement, comprising a retrospective deal for this year, as well as a further pay rise for 2004.

Around 85% to 90% of the workforce are backing the action. We are saying that we are available to talk, if not more action will follow, said Ralph.
However, Goss Graphic Systems director of marketing David Stamp said: I think that the union is making a point, its a bit of a storm in a teacup. We are in talks with the union.

Goss International has been awarded 6.12m in damages by a US court from TKS, which was found to have dumped printing presses in the country. Goss International reached an out of court settlement with Mitsubishi, KBA and MAN Roland earlier this year. Details of the settlement were never released.

Story by John Davies