HUNDREDS of workers staged their latest strike yesterday in the ongoing dispute over Vosper Thornycroft's the move to Portsmouth.

Union leaders are demanding changes to working hours for up to 1,500 staff who join the relocation so they do not get snared in rush-hour jams getting back home to Southampton.

Talks on Monday with VT bosses broke down without progress being made and workers are now set to strike once a week for the next month.

As reported in the Daily Echo yesterday, up to 160 workers face being laid off because of problems securing new business ahead of the move.

Bob Stoker, regional organiser for the GMB, said: "We did not make any real progress at all during the meeting over the dispute.

"We are effectively still at an impasse and there are no further discussions planned at the moment."

VT chiefs will meet with union officials in about two weeks' time to discuss the redundancy proposals.

They are currently looking for "suitable volunteers" if they decide to put the redundancy notices into effect. "Volunteers" could include those approaching retirement age and those who did not want to work in Portsmouth.

VT will build sections of the revolutionary Type 45 warships over the next decade along the coast when it moves later this year.

The company still hopes to win an order to build offshore patrol vessels for the Royal Navy as well as further ship repair or conversion.

Andrew Bunney, managing director of the VT shipbuilding sector, said: "We regret very much having to take this step and will do everything in our power to mitigate its effects.

"However it reflects a short-term problem. We cannot remain competitive if we carry the cost of people with no work to do."