STRIKERS at a Teesside plastics factory will take to the picket line for the second time in a week today.

Protesting workers are staging the second in a series of one-day walkouts at BPI's Stockton site in a long-running dispute over pay.

Union officials said striking staff expected a frosty reception following tight security measures imposed by the company at the site, also known as Visqueen.

About 170 workers stayed away from work on Saturday, with about 30 staff on the picket line.

Joe Keith, from the Transport and General Workers Union, which represents most of the employees, said: "For the first walkout, the company had turned the site into Fortress Visqueen, with extra security guards on all the entrances. We are expecting the same kind of reception this time around."

BPI bosses said last night they were very disappointed by the strike, the first in the plant's history.

Union officials said they had received no contact from the company since the industrial action began.

As with Saturday's walkout, it is expected that a skeleton staff will ensure some production continues at the site.

A meeting is expected to take place today between union officials and Visqueen staff, with a third 24-hour strike planned for Tuesday.

Mr Keith said: "The workers are in good spirits. Of course, they don't want to be having to take this kind of action, especially at this time of year, but there is a solid belief that they are in the right."

The industrial action has come after workers demanded a three per cent rise.

BPI has offered a 2.3 per cent increase - 0.3 per cent of which would be generated by incentive schemes - which has been overwhelmingly rejected.

BPI bosses said that difficult trading conditions in the plastics industry worldwide meant the pay rise was the best they could offer under the circumstances.

Increases in raw material prices, deteriorating market conditions and increased pension scheme costs, have all been given as reasons for the company being unable to agree to the three per cent demand.