UP to 105 workers at a Lostock engineering firm are staging a one-day strike in a dispute over pay and terms and conditions.

Members of the GMB at Severfield – known as Robert Watson until three months ago – picketed the Lostock Lane factory in the first of a series of one-day stoppages following the breakdown of negotiations with the management.

The union’s Bolton-based regional organiser, Shaun Buckley, said workers at the firm had been offered 5.05 per cent over two years, but a £1,200 bonus paid to the workforce if sick leave was below 3pc annually would be withdrawn.

Mr Buckley also said the firm wanted to scrap time off for medical appointments.

“The strike is 100 per cent solid,” said Mr Buckley. “The management's pre-conditions for the pay offer have caused a lot of animosity.

“The situation was made worse when the management tabled an offer on September 23 which was deemed by us to be acceptably, but they later withdrew it, saying it had been made in error.

“Four or five years ago the workers gave up a five per cent pay increase to help the company keep its prices down. It has shown little gratitude for that loyalty.”

Severfield has carried out work on many high profile projects in the UK. These include the Armadillo building in Glasgow, Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium, the sliding roof at Wimbledon, Manchester United’s Old Trafford ground and Manchester City’s Etihad Stadium, as well as the Macron Stadium at Bolton Wanderers.

Severfield’s communications manager Carrie Mulligan said: “We are hoping to reach an agreement with the employees at the site as soon as possible. The action being taken is by the weekly paid staff.

“As far as we are concerned it is business as usual. It is disappointing because across the group’s three other sites (Sherbourne, Dalton and Enniskillen in Northern Ireland) have all accepted our offer.

“We don’t expect any impact on the work we are contracted to carry out."