TWENTY furious workers barricaded their boss in a factory for two hours as they demanded six weeks of unpaid wages.

Now the government could launch an investigation, after three cross-party Hampshire MPs asked for intervention.

Staff at Giltpack Packaging Ltd in Nursling, near Southampton, locked the gates and blocked them with a forklift truck.

They prevented Anne Soffe, director of Huntley Malet Group Ltd, which took over the business in December, from leaving the premises before she agreed to speak to them.

Union UCATT is taking Giltpack to an employment tribunal at the end of the month on behalf of workers for non-payment of wages.

Development officer Terry Abbott said: "The workforce are so incensed because they are owed six-and-a-half weeks' money. This is why they took this drastic action.

"They are desperate and many are struggling to pay their mortgages, rent and even basic household bills.

"The workers do not have large savings to fall back on and cannot claim benefits because they are still in employment.

"Most have given Giltpack long service."

He said Mrs Soffe eventually agreed to hold talks with union officials and shop stewards before she attempted to reassure staff that they would be paid fully in the near future.

The gates were then unlocked and she was allowed to leave.

Forklift driver Gary Hitchcock, 42, said: "We are all desperate and we should not have had to take this action."

Jean Kilford, 54, who has been employed at Giltpack for 39 years, said: "I have a mortgage which I am in danger of falling behind on and everyone here is struggling."

Fabricator John Hopkins, 62, said: "We are losing interest on the money we have not been paid and the company should pay that."

Bench packer Frances Kendall, 52, said: "Every one of us has had enough and the situation is now ridiculous."

Her colleague, Shelby Brett, 58, added: "It is just terrible that a company that has been going 56 years is in this state."

Three MPs, who have been approached by workers in their constituencies, are now demanding an urgent inquiry.

Alan Whitehead, Labour MP for Southampton Test, said the DTI should investigate the running of Huntley Malet, which has a registered address at Chandler's Ford.

He said: "I will be seeking a meeting with the department about the regulation of this company, which appears to be able to get away with this.

"The forthcoming tribunal is significant because it shows the workers are fighting back."

Julian Lewis, Conservative MP for New Forest East, said: "The sooner the tribunal and the DTI give this matter their full attention, the better it will be for everyone.

"We are all extremely worried about this situation."

Sandra Gidley, Romsey's Liberal Democrat MP, said it was the worst case of non-payment of wages she had ever come across. She said: "I have written to the DTI asking for guidance and I join the calls for an investigation.

"It seems there is nothing to protect people in this situation.

The MPs want a government investigation into the firm's parent company.

A DTI spokeswoman said: "We will look at the MPs' letters very carefully and consider what the appropriate response should be."

Giltpack, which operates from Majestic Road, employs about 25 staff and makes packaging, such as cardboard and crates.

Repeated efforts by the Daily Echo to contact Anne Soffe, whose home address is registered at Companies House as Winsor Road, Winsor, in the New Forest, and Giltpack director Peter Hall, from Worthing, Sussex, failed.

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