Sacked workers staged a protest at the site

Staff from Darlington firm Cleveland Bridge were sacked after being switched to another firm in a row between the company and main contractor Multiplex.

Some of the ex-workers claim work on the project had virtually ground to a halt since the dispute began.

But Multiplex says it can guarantee the stadium will be finished on schedule.

Paul Kenny of the GMB said the workers had been treated "disgracefully" and hit out at the government for keeping in place employment laws which he said made it easy to sack workers.

'Not behind schedule'

Shop steward Graham Caster said: "These jobs are ours and we are going nowhere until we get them back."

The workers have been picketing Wembley for the past few weeks and claim that staff brought in from Holland to replace them have walked out in support.

Multiplex said it could guarantee the project would finish on time in 2006.

A company spokesperson said: "It is categorically not behind schedule, in fact it is ahead of schedule.

"The GMB must not be allowed to turn what is a local dispute between itself and a subcontractor into a national issue."

Talks are due to take place on Tuesday.