Bury politicians have condemned a Whitefield company’s “vindictive” decision to suspend striking workers.

Vinyl floorcovering manufacturer, Polyflor, based on Radcliffe New Road, cancelled shifts for almost 200 workers last week starting from Thursday, September 1.

GMB Union members had planned to down tools for two hours per week after rejecting an eight per cent pay offer by the company.

The union says workers need at least a 10 per cent pay rise to help them deal with the increased cost of living.

In a letter addressed to company secretary David Fletcher, Bury South MP Christian Wakeford called the Polyflor’s actions, “fire and rehire lite”.

He said: “I am writing to you with regards to the vindictive action you have taken this week to “lay off” 200 workers.

“As you will well know, the worker’s right to withdraw their labour is a fundamental right and workers are legally entitled to do so.

“It is frankly quite disturbing that you have used a clause in the workers’ contact to intimidate them into baking down from strike action in what I can only describe as “fire and rehire lite”.

Bury Council leader, Cllr Eamonn O’Brien, urged Polyflor to come to a solution a with employees, “which excludes the threat” of lay-offs.

In a letter to the company, he said: “I am disappointed to hear this news, as will staff who merely wanted a fair pay settlement so they could keep up with the spiralling cost of living.

“Consumer price inflation now stands at 8.8 oer cent and is likely to rise even further.

“Your employees, along with a large proportion of the working population are facing rising costs in their day to day lives without a proportionate pay rise to keep up with them cost of living.

“For this reason I must stand with the striking workers and urge you to come to a solution which excludes the threat of staff being laid off.”

In response to the action, Trades Union Congress North-West announced a rally at noon in Radcliffe town centre tomorrow, Thursday, in an attempt to restart negotiations between Polyflor and its employees.

Polyflor have yet to comment on the matter.