Employees at the facility went on strike for a second time on Friday (17 February) over planned redundancies at the plant.

The union claims that the firm has altered criteria and terms and conditions that were previously used for redundancies.

Following the industrial action Friday, which was set to continue with a picket on Saturday, employees still working onsite were asked to leave by security and informed that management had locked them out.

Unite national officer Ian Tonks, who was present on the picket line, said: "When employees were informed of the management lockout, around 40 entered the facility and staged a peaceful protest in the building."

Police were called to the site and employees said they would leave if Tonks was allowed in for discussions with the management team.

He told PrintWeek this morning: "We are scheduled to meet them at 12pm today. This is no good for anybody. I want this sorted. I don't want this escalating; I want a result. The employees want the same criteria and terms and conditions that has been used in the past, not something that is designed to highlight certain people."

Tonks also said that management lockouts, where the company writes to its employees telling them not to come into work, are very rare in this country. According to the union, it is the first occurrence in the print and packaging industry since 1958.