A UNION is aiming to pile pressure on a pallet supplier in Trafford Park with protests at the bases of its biggest customers.

Unite is taking additional action after more than three months of strikes at CHEP UK, where the workers are dissatisfied with their salaries in light of the cost of living crisis.

Almost a month ago, a rally attended by supporters from several other unions was held outside the pallet supplier on the same day as pay talks started, but these pay talks seem to have broken down.

Unite is planning protests outside the likes of DHL, Heineken, Heinz, Procter and Gamble, Two Sisters and Unilever in an attempt to draw attention to the workers' situation.

Sharon Graham, the union's general secretary, said: "CHEP UK made tens of millions in profit last year and could easily settle this dispute. Instead, it's failing its workforce in the middle of a cost of living crisis.

Messenger Newspapers: The picket line at CHEP UK.The picket line at CHEP UK.

"If CHEP UK is unwilling to resolve this dispute by presenting a realistic and acceptable pay offer, we will continue to step up the pressure on the company to do so."

According to Unite, the pallet supplier made £70.5 million in profit last year. Its estimate of the cost of the workers' demands is in the tens of thousands.

The workers' latest vote on whether to continue their strikes into the spring came back with almost 95 per cent of them in support.

Ian McCluskey, regional officer for the union, said: "Unite will ensure that the public, customers, businesses and all other stakeholders are made aware of how poorly CHEP UK has treated its own workers.

"We will inform and engage with all relevant parties and I am sure that many will make decisions in light of CHEP UK's actions."

The Messenger asked Brambles, which owns CHEP UK, for comment.