STRIKING Fox’s Glacier Mint workers were joined by a giant ‘polar bear', Labour councillors and other supporters as they staged a mass protest outside a York factory today.

Staff at Valeo York in Nether Poppleton, who also make Poppets and humbugs, mint assortments, butter mints, rhubarb and custards and lemon sherberts for well-known supermarkets including M&S, have been on strike over changes to their pay, terms, and conditions.

Protesters marched and chanted slogans such as: "End fire and re-hire," and "What do we want? Fair pay. When do we want it? Now!"

York council Labour group leader Pete Kilbane, who was amongst those who turned up to support the strikers, said he would ask the council to write to Valeo to ask it to sign up to York's 'Good Business Charter,' which commits businesses to things such as the real living wage, fairer hours and contracts and employee well-being.

The GMB union said it wanted Valeo to drop a ‘fire and re-hire’ threat.

A spokesman said staff had been told they would be fired and re-hired unless they agreed to a new contract which reduced their holiday and pay, and some had agreed through fear of losing their job.

“Fire and rehire as a negotiating tactic has been roundly condemned by politicians of all stripes – including the Prime Minister,” he said.

“A mass GMB poll showed more than three quarters of the public want fire and re-hire to be made illegal.”

GMB organiser Katherine Mitchell said fire and re-hire was an ‘outdated, abhorrent practice’ that should be made illegal.

She said long-serving staff were being asked to accept a cut in holidays from 27 days to 25, with new starters getting 20 days, and to accept a loss of overtime payments for working at weekends.

“It’s never acceptable,” she said. “Valeo bosses are trying to impose a real terms pay cut on these loyal workers in the midst of the worst cost of living crisis in a generation.

“During the strikes, managers haven’t allowed striking workers to use canteen or toilet facilities and called the police on a lawful picket.

“We’re here to say enough is enough – support your workers instead of trying to bully them into submission.”

She said union members had staged a series of two hour strikes last week and were now planning a full day's strike on April 14, the Thursday before the Easter weekend.

She said the action could begin to impact on supplies to retailers.

The Press asked Valeo for its response to the union's claims, and also went to the security barrier at the York factory to ask to speak to management, but no one was available for comment.