It follows a decision by QinetiQ to derecognise Prospect and other unions in March last year. This means the company is no longer obligated to negotiate changes to terms and conditions of employment with the unions, and needs only to consult, not negotiate, with the employee engagement group.

Since derecognising unions, the company has already:

• closed its final salary pension scheme, affecting 3,000 of its 5,000 employees across the UK
• brought in a personal pay system which instructs staff not to disclose their salaries to colleagues
• introduced the minimum statutory redundancy terms for new entrants without consultation
• effectively banned all trade union activity on its sites.

Prospect members will be at the entrances to the Aberporth site, which employs around 200 people, and Pendine site, where 90 QinetiQ employees are based, from 7am on Friday morning. They will be handing out leaflets reminding people of the benefits of union membership.

Gareth Howells, Prospect negotiations officer for Wales, said: "Workers in Wales know and understand the benefits and advantages of working in partnership with their employers. That is why they wholeheartedly support their colleagues' campaign for union recognition.

"Let's hope that QinetiQ's management will observe how successful partnership has been in other Welsh workplaces and give their workforce an independent voice to represent the views of staff."