WORKERS who were made redundant when the country’s oldest conservatory firm went into administration have won a six-figure pay out.

A tribunal has awarded more than £250,000 to former workers at Amdega in Darlington because of a lack of consultation over their redundancies.

However, the money will be paid out of public funds because the company no longer exists.

Trade union GMB, representing nearly 60 former Amdega workers, took the company to court after it went into administration in April last year, only 24 hours before workers were told they were losing their jobs.

Staff with up to 30 years of experience were only given the statutory redundancy pay.

The company had been taken over in August 2010 by Leedsbased private equity firm Endless, which claims to specialise in company turnarounds.

GMB, the recognised trade union at the company, which was founded in 1874, claimed that the necessary consultation had not taken place.

There was no representation from either Amdega or Endless at the tribunal, and the sacked workers were awarded the equivalent of 90 days’ pay, plus other benefits.

Stephen Thompkins, the GMB’s regional organiser, said he was pleased with the tribunal’s judgement.

He said: “It is disappointing though, as prior to this we had a good relationship with the employer.

“I have seen first-hand the devasting effect their decisions have had. Some of those have found jobs but for those who haven’t, and there are quite a few, this has hit them hard.

“The problem with the law is that employees’ wages are treated as creditors. There’s never any money left for them.

“I would urge any employers in similar circumstances to consult with us. Nine out of ten times there’s a way it can be resolved.

“Yet again, the tax payer is picking up the bill for the greed of one or two individuals.”

A spokesman for Endless said: “Endless was the main financial backer of Amdega. It didn’t have anything to do with the running of it.

“It was the management who made the decision to put it into administration.”

Darlington MP Jenny Chapman, who originally criticised the way in which the redundancies at Amdega were handled, said: “Clearly the redundancies were mishandled, with people given no notice.

“This is a great example of a trade union working at its best on behalf of its members to get what they’re entitled to.

“It’s a shame they’ve had to wait so long but I’m glad that there’s been some recognition for the workforce.”