A union is to hold a ballot to see if workers want to take industrial action after 43 redundancies were announced at a Bradford chemical company.

Maurice Britton, regional industrial organiser for the Transport and General Workers' Union, said a ballot on whether more than 100 members at AH Marks, in Wyke, wanted to hold a vote on industrial action would be held at the factory tonight and tomorrow.

He said: "We have had two sets of talks with the management and we have been calling for them to go for voluntary redundancies, but they are going down the road of compulsory redundancies in a bid to save money.

"They are also pressing for no pay rise for workers throughout the factory and our members are unhappy with the way things have been done. I would imagine they feel very angry about it," he added.

Gary Dukes, the firm's operations manager, confirmed today that 43 people were being consulted over being made redundant in specific areas of the factory where new plant and machinery had been introduced.

"This means we cannot go for voluntary redundancies and have earmarked specific posts on the shop floor and in our laboratories.

"I am disappointed that Mr Britton has decided to hold this ballot as we believe we have done all we can to help people, including offering them assistance to find new jobs."

Mr Dukes said the firm would be talking to staff members provisionally facing redundancy before a final decision was made early next week on who would lose their jobs.

"This company expects to make a loss this year after two years of very small profits so we have to do what we can about that," he said.

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