About 60 workers at a food factory near Hull have staged a protest over cuts to their pay, the BBC reports.

Staff at Cranswick Country Foods in Preston face a wage reduction of 20% and have not had a pay rise for eight years, the GMB union said. The company streamlined its butchery operation in June, which led to the dispute.

Dave Oglesby, of the GMB, said its members felt they had no option but to take action over the way they were being treated. "Cranswick have issued notice to GMB members to terminate their contracts of employment and re-engage them on far inferior terms," he said.

Cranswick owns several food plants and has contracts with Simply Sausages, Weight Watchers, Jamie Oliver and Reggae Reggae.

Managing director Chris Aldersley said the UK's meat processing industry was currently experiencing difficulties so changes had to be made to stay competitive. He said the company had been in discussions with staff since May, with the majority of its 1,200 workforce signing up to the new terms and conditions.

"The terms and conditions offered are extremely favourable and would be some of the highest that would be seen within the country," he said.

Copyright Press Association 2012