WORKERS who lost their jobs when a Hereford packaging firm went into administration last year are on in line for up to £80,000 in compensation.

The 21 employees were affected when Gelpack Industries Ltd announced it was unable to find funding to support trading.

As a result the former employees made legal claims for redundancy payments at Birmingham Employment Tribunal.

They complained they had been kept “in the dark” over their jobs after accusing the firm of failing to consult them over the future of the firm.

This week tribunal judge Mary Cox announced that the group of 21 are to receive protective awards covering 90 days from August last year.

Protective awards are the legal jargon for redundancy pay and under Government rules are limited up to about £350 a week.

Miss Cocks said in her report that the employees’ claims that the firm failed to comply with a requirement to consult under the Trade Union and Labour Relations Act was well founded.

As a result she approved 90 days protective awards for employees who had been employed at Grandstand Road, Madley and Moreton-on-Lugg.

On a basis of up to about £350 a week the total award could be nearly £80,000.

The firm did not attend the hearing.

Administrators were appointed for the firm last August after the management said it could not carry on.

A total of 175 employees lost their jobs.

Jesse Norman, MP for Hereford, was among those who expressed concern over the situation.

The 21 claimants were Mr T. Andrychiewicz, Mr A.Barakauskas, Mr P. Borowski, Mr W. Casey, Mr A.Dawes, Mr M.Fantaneanu, Mrs L. Gray, Mr D.Harris, Mr P. Kolazinski, Mr D.Kutry, Mr A.Manning, Mrs A. Pietrzykowski, Mr J.Roper, Mr M. Ridgway, Mr A. Thomas, Mr D. Tomczyk, Mr Z. Turner, Mr D. Vilbik, Mr M Walker, Mr Williams and Mr D.Bowen.