The company wants to transfer most of the 75 workers from its former Washington site to its Clean-Pack plant in Newcastle and packaging plant in Gateshead. RPD wants to alter shift patterns across all sites, from double days to a Continental shift.

However, the GPMU wants a 17% pay increase for the change in shifts a proposal which has been rejected by RPD.

RPD managing director Mark Reed said that the seven week impasse had forced the company to take redundancy measures.

Despite the immediate redundancy situation that arose, our proposal meant that almost all of the 75 production staff employed would be given offers of alternative employment on similar pay and hours through a continental shift pattern, said Reed.

However, the GPMU said that it was about to issue the company with formal notice that it would ballot members on industrial action, which could take place in three weeks time, although it wanted to negotiate.

GPMU national officer Mike Griffiths said: We want to find a fair solution. They are trying to take advantage of the fire to reduce staffing levels and alter shifts without increasing rates by the industry norm.

Reed said that the company had made alternative offers of employment to many of RPDs production staff, and that many had individually accepted.

Experts from Tyne & Wear Fire Brigade have not yet discovered the cause of the blaze that destroyed the Washington factory (PrintWeek, 27 November 2003).

Story by John Davies