WORKERS at a chilled food factory are expected to vote to continue strike action today.

The Bakers Food and Allied Workers Union (BFAWU) has balloted about 150 staff at Country Style Foods, in Stockton, as a row over new contracts intensifies.

Alan Milne, the union's regional officer, said workers were unhappy at the terms offered to new staff which, they claim, would take away paid bereavement leave and reduce overtime rates.

"The company has decided to implement these new contracts, no matter what," he said.

The union, which represents 99 per cent of the workforce, said terms and conditions for new staff included signing an opt-out clause to the European working time directive and an agreement to work at least 20 hours' overtime a week, for a reduced fee.

Mr Milne said: "These workers are only on £5 an hour and this would reduce their overtime pay to peanuts."

Employees have already held two strikes in April and May. The new industrial action is expected to include an overtime ban, along with another stoppage.

Mr Milne is also calling for a Health and Safety Executive investigation at the plant on Preston Park Industrial Estate, after bosses hired 40 agency staff.

"They are from various nationalities and most don't speak English," he said. "They cannot be trained properly and cannot read things like the fire exit signs. This is not a racist issue, it is a health and safety issue."

He claimed the company had refused any dialogue with the union and would not talk to conciliation service Acas.

Leeds-based Country Style Foods bought the site in 2003, after its former owner, Hibernia, went into administration. Last February, management laid off about 69 of the 400 workforce. Since then, staffing levels have declined to just over 150.

The Northern Echo last night contacted Tony Wood, chairman of the family-owned firm, but he declined to comment.