144 employees formerly recruited by Antrim based construction firm Mivan Limited have won a payout following a successful industrial tribunal hearing, it was announced on Friday December 12th.

The workers including many members of the union UCATT were made redundant without warning when the company went into administration in January 2014.

In a case taken on behalf of the workers by solicitors Thompsons NI it was argued they were entitled to a protective award as the company had failed to consult the workers prior to making them redundant.

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The industrial tribunal granted the protective award for all the workers who had made a claim. As Mivan is insolvent the award will be paid by the Redundancy Payments Service and is capped at eight weeks pay. Each worker is likely to receive around £2,500 in compensation.

Andy Fisher the Regional Secretary for construction union UCATT's North West and Northern Ireland Region, said: "Dedicated construction workers, many with years of service with the company were dismissed without warning. It is only through the combined efforts of UCATT and Thompsons NI, that these workers have been able to receive compensation.”

The decision to make the protective award paves the way for other former employees at Mivan to also claim compensation."

(CD/MH)