After legal battle dismissed workers win payout
23 June 2009
Unite, the UK’s biggest trade union, has today (Tuesday) won a
90 Day Protective Award for 103 former employees of Bison
Concrete’s Leeds site.
The award means all workers laid off from the Leeds site can
claim compensation for up to 90 days pay for Bison’s failure to
consult with Unite about the possibility of redundancies.
Bison Manufacturing Ltd, based in Burton-on-Trent, dismissed 552
workers nationwide in October last year with 103 released from its
Leeds site. Today’s Award was secured by Unite, which represents 40
of the employees, and Morrish Solicitors.
Speaking today of the Award, Unite Regional Officer, John
Mallinder, said “My principle concern is that justice has prevailed
for the workers, after a company thought that they could dismiss
individuals without recourse.”
“It is always a sad day when a company goes out of existence.
Had Bison Concrete consulted with us, the recognised
representatives, we could have and would have sought to do whatever
possible to help keep the business operating.”
Former employees were relieved to hear of the Award. “It will
take time for the workers to get their pay and because it is
taxpayer funded, there are limits, but this money will assist those
former employees. In these difficult times, it pays to belong to a
trade union, as this Award clearly shows.” added Mallinder.
Jayne Phillips, Partner of Morrish Solicitors acting for Unite
members, today encouraged any firms facing financial difficulty to
make their employees aware. She said: “The main aim of consultation
with employees and their representatives is to avoid the need for
redundancy. The union is a resource to save jobs and the company.
It’s not a sign of weakness to say you’re in financial trouble,
especially in this climate. So many companies go into
administration with their employees the last to know, when in fact
these are the very people with the best ideas that could save
them.”
ENDS
For further information please contact Ashraf Choudhury in the
Unite press office on 020 7420 7914 / 07980 224761.
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