PRODUCTION workers at a North-East factory are standing defiant as they battle for better pay.

It is the first time in the 24 year history of Schott Industrial Glass, Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, that workers have voted to strike.

About 200 members of the Transport and General Workers Union (TGWU) - the majority of the workforce - voted to strike and are now manning picket lines outside the factory gates.

A union representative, who works for Schott, said yesterday: "This company has been on the go for 24 years and this is the first time we have gone on strike. We have had negotiations and some of the people are on what we feel is near the minimum wage and we want better basic pay to help our standard of living.''

The strike started at 10pm on Thursday and looks likely to continue until 10pm on Monday.

Workers said they were willing to sit down to talk with the company again and are still hopeful of reaching an agreement.

The union representative said: "We are prepared to negotiate with management but if nothing gets sorted out we will go on strike again.''

Workers and the TGWU have declined to reveal the figures involved in the dispute, saying only that action had been taken after a meeting last Monday with the conciliation service Acas failed to break the impasse.

The German company, which has premises in Ketton Way, on the Newton Aycliffe Industrial Estate, produces glass for the domestic goods industry, which includes microwave oven doors and television screens.

Tim Bush, regional industrial organiser of the TGWU said that communications with the company had always been good.

He said: "Twenty-four years is a long time and there is a good industrial relations history at the plant, so it is unfortunate that we have had to take this action.''

No one from Schott was available to comment yesterday.