Around 150 workers at the Balcas sawmill in Enniskillen will begin a week-long strike on Friday morning, in a dispute over pay.

Unite the union members are set to start industrial action at 5am, following three separate one-day strikes held over the past month.

The workers rejected a pay offer of an additional 50 pence per hour for each of the next two years, which the union described as below the rate of inflation.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said the company and its parent, Glennon Brothers, are in a strong financial position and can afford a better deal. The most recent published accounts show Balcas recorded pre-tax profits of £18.7 million.

Ms Graham accused the firm of putting profits before people and said the union would support the workers for as long as necessary.

Unite regional officer Albert Hewitt warned the strike would affect timber supplies across the region, but blamed management for failing to improve its offer. He said the workforce had been left with no choice but to escalate action.

Balcas is the largest sawmill in Northern Ireland. Its parent company, Longford-based Glennon Brothers, also operates sites in the Republic of Ireland, Scotland, and Wales.