UNIONS have recommended that workers accept an improved redundancy package put forward by troubled chemical company Elementis Chromium.

More than 80 employees at the plant in Teesside met with union officials on Wednesday afternoon to discuss the revised remuneration package.

Both the Transport and General Workers (T&G) and Amicus unions have recommended that workers accept the offer and a ballot will be held over the next two weeks.

Joe Keith, the T&G's senior regional industrial organiser, said: "It was a very good meeting. We brought our members up to date in regards to the company's improved remuneration package and the joint trade unions have recommended that they accept the offer.

"The workers will now go away and think through everything and look at the figures.

"It is their future they need to think about. We are holding a ballot to decide whether to accept the offer and there should be a decision by January 3."

Elementis announced it was to shed 120 jobs at its chromium plant in Eaglescliffe, near Yarm, in October.

The multi-national, which is made up of four divisions, blamed high energy costs for continued losses at the Teesside plant and began a 90-day consultation period to run until next month.

Earlier this month, workers rejected the first redundancy package put forward by Elementis amid threats of industrial action.

Mr Keith said the unions will continue to talk with Elementis about the redundancies in the hope of saving a few jobs.

"There are still a lot of discussions to take place in respect of the redundancies and how many people should go," he said.

"We want to talk to the company about the selection process and the skills matrix."

David Raw, technical director at Elementis, said: "Clarification of the terms of severance for employees whose roles may be terminated is obviously a very important step and we await the outcome of the ballot.

"We continue to work with employee representative groups within a number of important areas in the consultative process."

Earlier this year, Elementis, which also has divisions specialising in pigments and rubber, reported an operating loss of £1.1m before exceptional items in its chromium division.