A pay deal from the Bradford-based Confederation of British Wool Textiles has been slammed by a union official.

Negotiations between the Employers Association and the confederation resulted in a final pay offer of 1.5 per cent on all earnings.

Peter Booth, national organiser for the Transport & General Workers Union, said: "For many years the wool textile industry has made pay offers which were less that those generally applied across the industry and wool textile workers should not be expected to accept pay offers which are far inferior to those being made elsewhere across British industry."

CBWT director general John Lambert said: "Our position is that the industry has been going through difficult trading conditions for the last three to four years now.

"The offer which we made is the best that we are able to make in the light of the circumstances.

"Our offer is in line with trying to keep people's pay in line with inflation.

"It is disappointing that the union does not feel we are doing our best."