WORKERS at a Clitheroe firm are expected to agree to a new pay package - but the threat of industrial action remains.

Employees at chemicals firm Johnson Matthey Catalysts, the former ICI factory, had voted overwhelmingly to stage a one-day walk-out in protest over pay and conditions last Friday.

But the strike was called off after management tabled two new offers which are now to be put to union members.

Union bosses say they expect workers at the Pimlico Industrial Estate site to agree to the improved terms, but the threat of strike action will remain until an official agreement is reached.

GMB and Amicus will be issuing a joint seven-day notice for industrial action to take place on Saturday, December 18. The walk-out will only happen if no agreement is reached in the meantime.

A spokesman for GMB union said: "We met yesterday with other unions' representatives, site management and senior human resource managers. We have agreed to recommend one of the pay packages to the workforce. This is a three-year deal which is a considerable improvement on the original offer. Workers will now hold a ballot on this.

"The threat of a strike does still stand, however, and we will be issuing a seven-day notice for December 18.

"We have to keep the pressure on to ensure we get the best deal for the workforce."

Most of the 250-strong workforce voted for industrial action after rejecting the company's annual pay offer of three per cent.

They also claimed the company has failed to honour a commitment, made in 2003, that jobs would be re-graded.

Tony Flannigan, site manager, said this week: "We are greatly relieved that we appear to have an agreement. The offer will now be put to the workforce and we hope this will be resolved sooner rather than later."

The Clitheroe site was built at the start of the Second World War by chemical giant ICI as part of the war effort to produce catalysts used to make synthetic aviation fuel.