Jacob's Cream Crackers workers in Liverpool walk out over pay

The factory in Aintree produces 14,000 tonnes of Jacob's Cream Crackers every year

Workers at a Jacob's Cream Crackers factory have walked out indefinitely over an ongoing pay dispute.

GMB union said more than 750 members at the site in Aintree, Liverpool, had decided to take strike action until bosses agree to come back to the negotiating table.

Staff at the plant on Long Lane have been taking limited industrial action since September, GMB said.

Pladis, which owns Jacob's, said its door was open for discussions.

Eamon O'Hearn, GMB national officer, said: "These workers are rightly angry.

"They put themselves on the line to keep the company going during the pandemic.

"Now they need some help to get them through the cost-of-living crisis."

'Corporate greed'

To ensure it can meet demand in the coming months, some production of Jacob's Cream Crackers will be moved temporarily to a third-party partner in Portugal.

GMB said this was a bid to undermine the strike.

Mr O'Hearn added: "This kind of naked corporate greed in the run up to Christmas is disgraceful.

"Jacob's workers will now be on strike 24 hours a day, seven days a week until the company comes back to the negotiating table," he said.

A Pladis spokesman said: "We regret that GMB has decided to take this course of action, despite all of the efforts we have made to reach an agreement with the union.

"However, we want to reiterate that our door remains open to GMB for further discussions with their representatives."

The factory in Aintree also produces TUC Crackers, Club biscuits and Twiglets.

Why not follow BBC North West on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram? You can also send story ideas to [e-mail]