UNIONS fighting to save jobs at troubled Elementis Chromium said they were disappointed and angry after a meeting with company bosses.

The Transport and General Workers (T&G) and Amicus unions say bosses have paid no notice to their attempts to reduce the 120 job cuts announced at the Teesside plant.

But bosses at Elementis, in Eaglescliffe, near Yarm, said yesterday they were still using the 90-day consultation, due to run until February 7, to explore minimising job losses.

The unions had hoped to hear whether Elementis was prepared to reduce the number of redundancies at a meeting on Tuesday afternoon, after last week putting forward a number of proposals to the company.

However, in a statement released yesterday, the unions said: "During the discussions with management, the joint trade unions expressed their disappointment and anger at the management's response to the union's genuine attempt to reduce job losses.

"The unions' proposals foundered on the response that the management's requirements were at odds with the unions' desires and the unions' proposals were not cost-effective.

"We are still of the opinion that the number of jobs at risk can be reduced."

Elementis announced in October its plans to shed more than half of the 230-strong workforce at its Urlay Nook plant and close one of the kilns, blaming high energy costs for its continued losses.

In November, 86 per cent of workers who took part in a consultative ballot voted for industrial action over the job cuts, but strikes were averted last month after they agreed to accept a redundancy package.

The company's technical director, David Raw, said further meetings were scheduled during the consultation period.

He said: "We will certainly be using this time to openly explore opportunities to minimise job losses associated with the necessary restructuring of our business."

Fiona Hall, Liberal Democrat MEP for the North-East, and Stockton South MP Dari Taylor, have expressed their disappointment over the job losses.

Regional development agency One NorthEast has pledged to look into ways of helping Elementis financially.