DEFIANT ferry workers whose strike is crippling the county are refusing to return to work until their bosses enter into serious pay negotiations.

And although they say they are aware of the problems in Kent, the deadlock gives little hope of a swift end to the chaos on the road network.

Operation Stack was stood down temporarily on Sunday but is expected to be reintroduced by Monday.

A spokesman for the SeaFrance workers, chief officer David Poisson, said the blame should be placed squarely at their employer's feet.

Mr Poisson said: "If SeaFrance had negotiated with us in the first 24 hours, none of this would have happened.

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"All the officers understand the massive mess we are putting on England and Calais and it is very easy to say it but really people must blame the SeaFrance directors, not us.

"All of this could have been avoided, but now enough is enough. It is too late."

Around 150 SeaFrance officers are refusing to return to work. They are asking for a five per cent pay rise above the national standard (around 17 per cent) over three years, three-day working shifts instead of two and fewer restrictions on how far away staff can live from the port to help make the role more attractive and fill a current shortage of officers.

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Mr Poisson said SeaFrance's directors refused to negotiate their terms until Friday morning, when he claims the firm agreed to all demands bar the salary increase, which would be discussed if they returned to work.

But the officers say they will not go back to work without reaching an agreement on their pay.

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Mr Poisson added: "Our salary request is a base amount – we are not stupid, we are willing to negotiate.

"It is very, very rare for officers to strike – this is the first time this has happened in France – and we are passionate about our jobs.

"But if we strike, it is for a good reason. And we will not go back to work until there is a proper meeting. This is not a fad."

SeaFrance said it could not comment on ongoing negotiations but that progress was being made.