Workers at a Bradford laundry staged a one-day strike yesterday in a long-running battle over pay.

About 80 staff at Initial Textile Services in Lidget Green took the action after five months of talks failed to settle the pay row. Three-quarters had voted for strike action earlier this month.

Initial, part of the Rentokil Group, carries out contract work for the overalls of workers at Walkers Crisps and Medimmune and bed linen for Ramada Jarvis Hotels.

The GMB union members earn between £5 and £5.30 an hour, but are angry that they have received below-inflation wage increases for several years.

Union organiser Rachel Dix said the company had refused to meet a four per cent claim.

She said: "GMB members feel they have no alternative but to take industrial action. They can no longer accept further cuts to their living standards. Many of them earn barely above the minimum wage.

"This is especially unacceptable when our members read reports of Rentokil giving £500,000 handshakes and £800,000 company appointments at the top.

"Workers stand to lose money when taking part in this action but they are demonstrating their determination to make a stand.

A spokesman for Initial Textile Services said: "Our final pay increase has been on the table for some time and is exactly the same as that which has been accepted at our other large Initial plant in Bradford.

"We urge our employees to accept the new offer so we can implement the new pay rates as soon as possible."