Striking Caterpillar workers have said they are being "stonewalled" in negotiations with the company.
Workers at the Larne and Springvale factories have been involved in industrial action over the past five weeks and are preparing for four more as they say that the company is "refusing to come to the table".
Speaking to Belfast Live, a striking worker said they feel let down by Caterpillar who are "offering a real terms pay cut" and saying they must take mandatory overtime in their contracts.
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It is understood there are around 160 workers on strike, roughly 80 at each factory.
Caterpillar has said that it has offered a "good and fair" wage increase to workers of 9% which takes into account concerns around the cost of living.
The worker said: "This dispute has been going on for a few months now and it has got to the point where we feel that we are being stonewalled by Caterpillar.
"What we are being offered is a real terms pay cut for the past few years after pay increases were stopped last year due to the pandemic. They are offering a 9% increase when inflation is at 9% this year and we did not receive anything last year.
"They are also telling us that we have to do 24 hours mandatory overtime a month or face disciplinary action, which for some of us is not possible due to our circumstances.
"When you look at the cost of living increases we are faced with, I recently paid £300 for a few months worth of oil for heating, we just don't believe that we are being offered a fair increase and now they are refusing to come to the table with us at all."
Unite the Union has informed Caterpillar this week that workers will be taking part in four more weeks of strike action and said it had been "battling hostility to efforts to find a negotiated solution".
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: "Unite’s members are determined to win fair pay. They have the full support of their union until management returns with a decent pay increase offer.”
George Brash, Unite regional officer added: “The blame for this dispute lies entirely at the feet of Caterpillar’s management who are refusing to sit down with Unite to resolve this dispute."
He added: “Unite has confirmed a further four weeks of strike action. We are prepared to continue this action for however long it takes for Caterpillar to listen to their employees and return to the negotiating table with a decent pay increase offer.”
Caterpillar says that it believes it has presented the union with a good and fair offer that recognises cost of living concerns including a 9% pay increase and a 2.6% retroactive lump sum for hours worked between April 1, 2021 and April 1, 2022.
A Caterpillar spokesperson said: "Caterpillar negotiated in good faith with Unite to reach a fair and balanced final agreement which would include a 9% wage increase effective April 1, 2022.
"The company believes industrial action should be avoided but is committed to maintaining operations at its facilities throughout the duration of the action."
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