BOSSES at Southampton shipbuilder Vosper Thornycroft today appealed for workers to end their strike over a pay wrangle.

About 630 staff held a one-day stoppage yesterday in the first of a series of walkouts planned for the next few weeks.

Managers have now written letters to all those involved in the action appealing for them to return to work at the Woolston shipyard.

But with both the unions and the firm refusing to change their positions, there seems little chance of a quick conclusion to the strike.

VT personnel director Colin Reed said: "We are very disappointed about the situation, but neither side is prepared to move its stance at this stage.

"Clearly we would hope the strike would not be a protracted course of action.

"We are writing to employees today to encourage them to reconsider their position having had a oneday stoppage.

"They have made a gesture as to how unhappy they are.

"We would want to avoid further stoppages if we can and I am not at this point pessimistic."

He said that about half of the 1,200 workers at the Victoria Road yard had gone on strike and that it did not involve the remainder of the 5,000 staff who work for the company elsewhere.

GMB regional organiser Bob Stokes said the five unions involved would be prepared to discuss an improved pay offer. He said they would continue their plan of action but would await the reaction of the firm to the stoppages.

The offer on the table from management is a two-year deal of 3.3 per cent with effect from April 1 this year. There would also be another 0.3 per cent from July 1, plus 0.5 per cent on top of the retail price index, which currently stands at 1.6 per cent, from April 2000.

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