WORKERS at five Princes Foods factories are to strike after new owners reneged on a pay deal.

Unite members at the factories in Bradford, Cardiff, Glasgow, Long Sutton and Wisbech struck a deal with owners Mitsubishi giving them a pay rise worth 4 to 7 per cent.

Princes, whose brands include Branston and Crosse and Blackwell, was then taken over by Italian multinational Newlat SPA, which withdrew the deal and proposed a 3 per cent increase.

Unite national officer for food, drink and agriculture Paul Travers said: “Newlat borrowed huge sums of money to buy Princes and is now looking to cut corners and penny pinch to pay that money back.

“Newlat can avoid this strike, which is one of their own making, by coming back to the negotiating table with a new and improved pay deal for our members.”

Strikes are planned at the five factories from January 6 to 16.