SACKED Cleveland Bridge workers picketed the gates of the Wembley Stadium development yesterday.

The action, by 250 workers, was in protest against Hollandia/Fast Track, the company that took over fabrication work on the national football stadium when Darlington company Cleveland Bridge walked out of the development.

Cleveland Bridge is involved in legal action with Multiplex, the Wembley project's main contractor, which is believed to owe it as much as £10m for work carried out in London.

The picket, staged by members of unions Amicus and the GMB, was in protest at the cancellation of 200 steelworkers' contracts on Friday.

John Connor, 49, a spokesman for the protestors said: "They have gone back on their agreements.

"There has not been an industrial dispute on this project yet. All we want to do is work. We will be here as long as it takes."

Steelworker John Gillett, 45, who has been working on the project since December, said that an agency offered him his old job back less than two hours after his contract was terminated.

He said: "My employment was terminated by Hollandia/Fast Track the same as everybody else's.

"I got a phone call on my way home in the car from another agency in London asking if I could start a job and could I get another five men.

"He later told me it was the Wembley project. I said, 'no disrespect, but I will not cross the line. It is against all my principles'.

"So I was offered my old job back. It is ridiculous."

A spokesman for Multiplex, the Wembley project's main contractor, said: "We were advised that the decision followed some independent action taken by the workers, who had made unacceptable additional demands, despite agreeing new employment contracts with Hollandia/Fast Track in July."

Multiplex said it had obtained assurances from Hollandia/Fast Track that the project would continue on schedule and new staff were already being taken on.

Jimmy Skivington, Northern regional organiser for the GMB, said he had been contacted by a number of affected workers since Friday and rejected claims that their demands were unreasonable.

He said: "It is very, very disappointing and unusual to say the least. Usually we sit round a table and agree things. To sack everybody - I do not understand that.

"(The workers) are looking to get back round the table and then back to work."

Amicus said the action was unofficial and did not have its backing.