Trailer firm talks fail

Ifor Williams Trailers has produced horseboxes since 1958

Talks to end months of strike action at Wales' biggest trailer company have failed with union officials saying they are "back to square one".

Staff at Ifor Williams, which has factories in north Wales at Cynwyd, Corwen and Bala, will meet on Wednesday to decide what further action they will take now talks have broken down.

The dispute over pay and conditions has lasted three months and has resulted in three one-day strikes.

Tuesday's discussions between managers at Ifor Williams and the GMB union, which represents a number of workers, had been arranged by the arbitration service Acas.

Dave Cliff, of the GMB union, has accused managers at the trailer firm of reneging on a deal and claimed they could be faced with further industrial action.

We're back to square one, at the very least there'll be another 250 tribunal applications going in Dave Cliff, GMB

"They had no intention of settling this dispute, it was an absolute disaster," said Mr Cliff.

"The pay offer's been 3.25% all the way since April and now they've said they won't pay back pay to those involved in the strike.

"We're back to square one, at the very least there'll be another 250 tribunal applications going in," he added.

A spokesman for Ifor Williams said the company was disappointed with the failure of the talks.

"The company is concerned that the union has misled its members so far as back pay is concerned," he said.

"We made it clear in a letter to all employees on July 11 that the company's offer to backdate its 3.25 per cent pay rise to April 7 would expire on July 17.

"Back pay has therefore been awarded to everyone who has signed the agreement.

"We have already made significant concessions over and above our original offer.

'Generous' deal

"We can't understand the union's attitude because our employees are already among the highest paid in the manufacturing sector in Wales."

In a separate case earlier this month 100 workers announced they were preparing to take their bosses to an employment tribunal over claims they have not received enough holiday pay.

The claim was strenuously denied by representatives of the trailer firm.