The GPMU has agreed a wage settlement with CarnaudMetalBox (CMB) following eight months of negotiations and a weeks industrial action at the beginning of September.


The union is strongly recommending that its 101 members at CMBs Neath components plant and the food division factories at Westhoughton, Braunstone and Perry Wood accept the companys latest offer of a 2% increase on all earnings backdated to 1 January 1999, with a further increase of 1% based on the 1999 earnings due to be paid from 1 October.


Ballot results from the plants will be declared on 13 October.


GPMU national officer Owen Coop said: "Generally speaking we have a good relationship with the company and it is unfortunate we had to resort to industrial action. I hope things will get back to normal as soon as possible."


Story by Eloise Seddon