Pottery workers' union CATU has been served with a writ claiming £185,850 damages following strikes earlier this year at Wade pottery factories.
The union today vowed to fight the action and has taken advice from barristers.

According to CATU's general secretary, Geoff Bagnall, the writ says the union failed to give the company a list of names and addresses of all 700 workers who would be taking part in the strikes.

Mr Bagnall said the bill for fighting the writ could add ''tens of thousands'' of pounds to the final bill if they lost the action.

No date has been set for the court hearing.

Mr Bagnall said: ''We thought the whole dispute was settled and are now working to boost the fortunes of the business.

''We shook hands on an agreement and now they come back with legal action in this way.

''Our national executive has decided we must fight this writ and we have already taken legal advice.''

He said the union had the funds to pay the damages and any costs involved.

''Even if we lose and have to pay the damages and legal costs for both sides this will not have any effect on our members,'' he said.

''However, we would much prefer to keep our cash within the union to benefit our membership in the future.''

Workers at Wade Ceramics were on strike for a total of nine days in the period from January to March.

They were in dispute over plans by the company to introduce new contracts which they claimed could cost some staff up to £90 a week.

The row was eventually settled after the workers who would be losing money were offered a one-off payment to compensate them for their losses.