WORKERS at a gifts firm are completing six 12-hour shifts a week in "excessive" efforts to earn cash before Christmas.

A trade union has slammed bosses at Express Gifts in Church for allowing staff, many of whom are Eastern European, to work such long hours.

But the company said that while such long shifts are worked, no-one is forced to do them.

Roy Cattle, president of the Hyndburn and Rossendale Trade Union Council (TUC) said: "I have great concern about the hours being worked at the factory. It is clearly excessive.

"I have been given reports that temporary staff are working from 8am to 8pm six days a week.

"These are unreasonable hours and it seems the company is taking advantage of the Polish and other workers it employs.

"This is clearly against the spirit of the Working Time Regulations.

"Employees should know that if they have agreed to opt-out they can withdraw their agreement at any time."

European rules forbid employers from forcing workers to complete weekly shifts of more than 48 hours.

But staff can opt-out if they sign an agreement.

A spokesman for Express Gifts said: "There is certainly no pressure from the company for staff to work more than the standard 47 and a half hours a week maximum, which is a rule we have in place.

"There are a lot of staff who have opted out. They have requested extra hours, they are not forced into it.

"At this time of year many people want to make a little bit more money and that is their choice."

Mr Cattle said that many of the staff are from Eastern Europe and are working the extra hours to send cash home before Christmas.

Hugh Evans from the Lancashire Chamber of Commerce said: "Polish workers certainly have a reputation of being very hard working and that is why across Lancashire they are extremely valued by employers.

"I think that it is perhaps true that the work ethic of most Polish workers is higher than some of the UK workforce."

Express Gifts, which is based in Henry Street, employs over 1,400 people and is run by parent company Findel plc.

Express Gifts is the largest company within the Findel plc group and is one of the UK's leading mail order companies, selling a wide range of greeting cards, gifts, home and garden items through its Studio and Ace catalogues.

Over the festive period Express Gifts take on an extra 900 temporary staff to deal with the demand for their products in the run-up to Christmas.

The firm also has a call centre at Clayton-le-Moors Business Park that deals with customers' orders and accounts.

More than three million catalogues are distributed each year by the company.