The vote, due to take place yesterday, was dropped after Quebecor World's parent company in Canada refused to accept an agreement which had been reached by Amicus GPMS and local management.

Amicus GPMS East of England branch secretary Vernon Robson said that Quebecor's Canadian head office had rejected the agreed terms, demanding a further 400,000 in savings.

"The company moved the goalposts. They still want some cost savings somewhere. We haven't agreed to that, and local talks are still going on," he said.

Robson is due to meet again with management next Wednesday, in a bid to reach agreement on terms and conditions for the 410 workers whose jobs are unaffected by the loss of the huge Associated Newspapers supplement contract.

"We've got to reach an agreement very soon. But there now isn't going to be time for us to have a vote before next weekend," said Robson.

Around 380 staff at the plant are to be made redundant following the loss of the Associated work to Polestar Sheffield.

Robson said that 30 workers have already left under agreed redundancy terms, with a further 200 due to finish work at the end of next week. The rest of the affected staff will leave by June, when the contract transfers fully to Polestar's new gravure plant.

Quebecor World was unavailable for comment.

Story by Josh Brooks