WORKERS at an East Lancashire chemical factory are set to start industrial action next week in a dispute over working hours.

More than 150 Unite union members at Johnson Matthey, one of Clitheroe’s biggest employers, will begin a ‘work to rule’ on Monday. Future strike action is not ruled out.

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Staff are objecting to plans by the management to increase the working week without pay after agreeing to more than 50 job losses last year.

Unite regional officer Pat Coyne said bosses at the international chemical giant were seeking to impose the change but hoped the overtime ban would bring them back to the negotiating table.

The company said it was ‘disappointed’ by the workers’ decision but pledged safety at the former ICI plant on the Pimlico Industrial Area, Bradford Road, would not be compromised.

Last year Unite negotiated more than 50 voluntary redundancies at the plant reducing the workforce from 280.

After a ballot, Unite has announced 157 manual, chemical, maintenance and office workers will start a work-to-rule and complete overtime ban on Monday. The company wants to lengthen the working week from 36 hours to 37.5 and exclude ‘handover’ time at the end shifts from those hours, both without extra pay, from January 1.

Mr Coyne said: “Nobody here wants to take industrial action, but it means that our members will be expected to work longer with no extra pay. Unite will not accept changes to workers’ terms and conditions being imposed.

“Our members will start a work-to-rule on Monday. This dispute has been rumbling on since last year after we agreed voluntary redundancy for more than 50 of our members.

“Staff we not pleased after that to be asked to work longer hours for no extra pay. If the management fail to come back to the table, there is ballot authorising strike action in the future.”

A company spokesman said: “We have been working with our Clitheroe-based employees and their representatives to address their concerns since January and are disappointed by the decision to take industrial action.”

“We will continue to take steps to resolve the dispute constructively and would like to reassure our employees and the wider community that the safety of our operations will not be adversely affected by this action.”