WORKERS at a wax jacket maker are continuing strike action as they battle with management over contract changes.

More than 60 warehouse staff at J Barbour and Sons, in Gateshead, have walked out, claiming the firm has cut unsociable hours payments and extended shifts until 11pm.

Barbour says the changes include better pay.

Staff and the Unite union initially said the action would cover yesterday (Tuesday, January 6) and Monday (January 5), but have now extended the strike across the whole of January, with workers expected to down tools between 7.30am and 1pm.

It comes after four days of similar action last month, with Unite accusing Barbour of deliberately putting workers on similar terms to temporary staff.

Fazia Hussain-Brown, Unite regional officer, said: “For a company priding itself on family values, to seek to rail road through cuts and unsocial changes to their contracts is hypocrisy of the highest order.”

However, Brenda Readman-Bell, Barbour’s group finance and IT director, said the company had given workers a fair offer.

She added: “We’ve done everything to work with the union and employees.

“The new shift patterns include a substantial pay increase and standard working hours on a Monday to Friday basis.”

Barbour, which employs about 600 North-East workers, also has a base in South Shields, South Tyneside, which is not affected by the strike.

The brand is known around the world and achieved fame in 1964 when Steve McQueen wore one of its jackets while competing in the International Six Day Trials motorcycle endurance event.