THE French car component firm Montupet S.A. warned yesterday that its Northern Ireland plant near Belfast could close if an unofficial strike by workers about pay and conditions was not settled today.

Mr Georges Senninger, managing director of Montupet UK Ltd, said the Amalgamated Engineering and Electrical Union (AEEU) had consistently opposed the strike and both the company and union wanted all employees to report for work this morning.

"Management and the union will be at the factory gates to welcome our employees back to work, Mr Senninger said in a statement to local media.