SOME KitKat workers will be thousands of pounds worse off under proposals for a massive basic pay rise, an employee claimed today.

The Evening Press reported on Friday that Nestl Rowntree wanted to introduce a Continental shift system to the KitKat No 4 and 5 plants involving right the way through the weekend.

The change would mean a basic pay increase of £7,000 to £8,000, but would also involve the loss of lucrative overtime for working at weekends.

A KitKat worker, who did not wish to be identified, contacted the Evening Press to say that some workers who worked large amounts of overtime, would lose out financially under the proposal.

He said that they could earn in excess of £30,000, but the loss of overtime could see their take-home pay falling by several thousand pounds, despite the basic pay increase. "They will be substantially out of pocket," he said. However, they would be working considerably less hours.

He added that some workers who currently did not do overtime would be substantially better off under the proposals, while having to work weekends for the first time.

Nestl has said it believes workers will find the new arrangements attractive, and the GMB union has claimed that the changes will help maintain long-term job security at the factory.

Updated: 11:16 Monday, August 27, 2001