The delay is due to Quebecor World's Canadian headquarters, which has not yet approved redundancy terms for the final round of the 380 job cuts caused by the loss of the Associated Newspapers supplement contract to Polestar.

Quebecor's head office has signed off terms for last weekend's 185 redundancies, and for a further wave on 19 May, but has yet to agree terms for the last tranche on 29 May.

Amicus GPMS has refused to ballot its members on working terms and conditions for the 410 staff staying at the plant until the approval is granted.

Vernon Robson, Amicus GPMS East of England branch secretary, said: "If they are incapable of signing off the redundancies we won't put the terms and conditions out to ballot with the members.

"I'm afraid our members may reject the terms anyway because they're so frustrated with it all."

Angus Jurkschat, Quebecor World sales and marketing director, said that the two parties were "virtually there" on the negotiations. "It would be unfair to comment further at the moment," he said.

* Quebecor World has granted union recognition in the United States.

The graphics division of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters has agreed to conduct their relationship in a "non-adversarial" manner in future, while the firm has stated that it "fully respects" employees' rights to engage in collective bargaining.

Story by Josh Brooks