More than 50 workers at Mittagong held stop work meetings last week after six-month of negotiations for a new national wages agreement.

The workers are asking for a 4 per cent increase in their wages.

The company at first threatened a wages freeze and redundancies, but is now offering a 2 per cent wage increase.

It is refusing to hold further discussions with the workers about the claim.

Bradken Rail is one of Australia’s largest producers of rolling stock and is internationally recognized for making some of the strongest rail axles in the world.

Australian Manufacturing Workers Union (AMWU) organiser John Stewart said the Bradken was recently awarded major contracts that would secure work at Mittagong for at least 12 months.

The spokesman said the contracts were for more than 150 wagons, most of which would be commissioned by Queensland Rail.

A Bradken Rail official refused to comment.

Mr Stewart said the Mittagong workers felt “cheated” by the company, which recorded a large growth in profit last year.

“These workers do not take industrial action lightly. All they are asking is a fair day’s pay for a fair day’s work,” he said.

“Unfortunately in our view Bradken is using the current economic downturn as an excuse to hold down the wages of their workers.”

Mr Stewart said the workers were hoping the company would be prepared to sit down at the table with them.

“No one likes to take industrial action,” he said.

“If they’re in real financial trouble, we need to talk about it - that’s what ‘good faith’ bargaining is all about.

“Unfortunately in our view, Bradken is using the current economic downturn as an excuse to hold down the wages of their workers - and there’s no ‘good faith’ in that sort of approach.”