WORKERS at a Devizes packaging company are set to go on strike on Sunday night following a breakdown in negotiations over pay.

Factory Staff at DS Smith in Nursteed Road will walk out at midnight and not return until 11.59pm on Monday unless a settlement is agreed.

A worker at the Devizes company told the Gazette that negotiations between the GMB union and bosses had been going on for several months. The firm is understood to have offered a two per cent increase to around 200 factory workers but this has been turned down.

The employee at the company, which provides packaging for chocolate giants such as Cadbury, said: “The company is making millions and we want a share of this. We are all working hard to fulfil Christmas orders and think we deserve more.

“They are not a bad company to work for and the conditions are pretty good. It is just about the money.”

He said the company had also just won a big order from Amazon.

The GMB union said the action could affect parcel deliveries during Black Friday and Cyber Monday, the busiest online shopping days of the year. Amazon and Domino’s Pizza are major clients of the factories.

Stuart Fegan, the GMB national officer, said: “We don’t want to cause problems for people’s Christmas shopping – but if we have to, we will.

“Our members are clearly fed up of seeing their employers make increasing profits in this sector while their wages fall behind in real terms.

“We urge the employers to get back around the negotiating table and make an offer to our members in respect of their pay claim which recognises the profits these companies are making and the contribution of our members towards those profits.”

Packaging companies have benefited as the volume of parcels sent out by retailers has risen. This year 12 per cent more parcels are expected to go through the system as online sales rise 16 per cent to £1.27bn, according to the online retail industry body IMRG.