WORKERS at BPI's Stockton plant are expected to strike after staff voted overwhelmingly in favour of industrial action.

Union officials said strikes could take place within two weeks at the BPI site, also known as Visqueen, in Yarm Road.

Nearly 180 workers at the Teesside plastics factory were balloted after bosses rejected a three per cent pay demand by the union.

Joe Keith, of the Transport and General Workers Union, which represents the majority of workers at the plant, said there had been an 86 per cent turnout, with staff voting two-to-one in favour of strikes. Workers also backed a call for an overtime ban.

Mr Keith said: "I will be meeting the shop steward next week at which point we will make a decision about when we take strike action.

"I would sincerely hope that in the light of this, the company would come forward and speak to us. As yet, we have not heard from them."

Union officials must give BPI seven days notice and strike action must take place within 28 days.

However, they may wait for the result of a strike ballot of about 20 members of Amicus before deciding on a date.

Workers are seeking a three per cent pay increase, but BPI bosses have refused to increase their 2.8 per cent offer.

They have imposed a backdated 2.5 per cent rise.

A final round of peace talks took place three weeks ago, but failed to resolve the long-running pay dispute.

Mr Keith said the overwhelming vote in favour of industrial action sent a clear message to bosses.

He said: "It solidifies our view that the wage offer and the way the company has conducted itself wasn't in the interests of workers.

"The management have taken a very heavy-handed approach but all they have succeeded in doing is drawing a line in the sand which our members have stepped over."

Bosses at BPI Stockton confirmed they had received the result of the ballot.

Managing director Steve Moss said: "Clearly the company is disappointed in the result, particularly in the very difficult trading conditions our industry is currently experiencing."