THE car components firm Montupet, still in dispute with around 100 workers at its site in Dunmurry, outside Belfast, is planning to recruit 200 new workers this week. Managing director, Mr Georges Senninger, said the new employees would work on production lines for two new products to be introduced later in the year.

A spokesman for the strikers described it as "another form of harassment", and said it showed that Mr Senninger was "playing his final card" in an attempt to get people to abandon the strike.

The dispute, which started over wages and working conditions, has being going on for five weeks, and according to the remaining strikers, is still no nearer being resolved.

It is not clear how many workers have remained out. The company says the number is down to 100 but the strikers insist the figure is still over 200.