UNION representatives at a cardboard box manufacturer are holding talks with management on Monday to seek assurances that their jobs are safe.

SCA Packaging last night confirmed that talks were being held at one of its two neighbouring Darlington plants in Faverdale.

SCA owner Svenska Cellulose warned last month that its UK workforce could bear the brunt of a restructuring that will cost 3,600 jobs across Europe.

But the company is remaining tight-lipped over exactly where the job losses would be.

It employs hundreds of people across the region at factories in Peterlee, Hartlepool, York and Darlington, and about 7,000 across the UK.

Svenska, the maker of Velvet toilet tissue, is trying to cut costs after being affected by tough market conditions.

Margins in the packaging industry, particularly in corrugated cardboard, are being squeezed due to intense competition on price.

The news follows another cost-saving programme by Svenska, implemented last year, that led to 1,200 job cuts.

Unions claimed that 45 jobs lost last year at SCA's Darlington plant were replaced by agency staff. Together, the Darlington factories make up one of the packaging operation's largest UK sites.

An SCA spokeswoman confirmed last night that talks were taking place on Monday.

She said: "There have been a number of changes in Europe through the efficiency savings programme.

"But I don't believe there are going to be any in the near future in the UK."

One worker, who asked not to be named, said: "None of us know what the future is. We don't know if our jobs are safe or not and the management aren't telling us anything.

"Some of the people that work here have been here for 20 years or more, since they left school, and they're really worried."

Jackie Woodall, of the GMB union, said she was not involved in the talks, which are likely to be with the on-site union representatives.

But she said national GMB officials were concerned at the lack of communication about where jobs would go.

Last month, Svenska said the UK would be among the worst-hit for job losses, and said it was talking to unions.

But unions are still in the dark about what will happen.

About 400 jobs will go in Sweden, with the remainder at Svenska's European packaging and hygiene plants.

The cuts are part of a drive to phase out seven per cent of its tissue production and 17 per cent of its cardboard liner capacity - which it makes at all its North-East sites.