The Nortel telecoms plant at Monkstown in Newtownabbey was hit yesterday by strike action in a row over this year’s pay deal.

Unite, the trade union, said that more than 150 test technicians and shop floor workers had taken part in a half-day stoppage.

The union said that a picket had been placed on the plant when the action started at midday.

Unite regional organiser Terry Collins said the action was taken after pay talks broke down.

He said: “We have been working closely with the company over the past 18 months on ‘lean manufacturing’ and have made £3m in savings at the Monkstown plant.

“Now is the time our members are paid back for all their efforts, Unite members will be staging a half-day strike each Monday from now on. The last time a dispute occurred at the telecoms manufacturing plant was 16 years ago.” Mr Collins said the union had submitted a claim for a pay rise on a par with RPI, which he said was currently 4.6%, but that the company was willing only to offer 3.75%.

A spokesman for Canadian-owned Nortel said simply: “We are aware of the proposed action.”

Around 625 people are employed at the Monkstown plant, which is the group’s supply chain centre for Europe, the Middle East and Africa.