Steel workers win unfair dismissal bid

Three steel workers have won claims for unfair dismissal after alleging their jobs at a West Bromwich firm were sacrificed for the sake of work carried out in the Czech Republic.

The former employees made the allegation after the steel firm of William King Ltd of Union Road, West Bromwich, made out-of court settlements at Birmingham Employment Tribunal. James Callagan of Alexander Road, Tipton, who was a team leader; Lee Evans, machinist, of Kitchen Lane, Wednesfield, and Dave Evans, of harvest Road, Smethwick, who was also a team leader, all made successful claims for unfair dismissal.

They complained that the firm reduced the use of three steel manufacturing machines to one and accused management of failing to explain what was going on.

Mr Callagan, who had been employed by the firm for 12 years, withdrew an allegation that he had been dismissed because he was a Unite shop steward. The firm opposed the claims and said there had been a redundancy situation because of adverse trading conditions.

It employed 144 employees and had a plant in the Czech Republic, it was said.

But more than 30 workers had been made redundant since 2000, including seven last year, the tribunal was told. The three claimants were among the seven – one woman accepting an offer and the others taking voluntary redundancy. The three claimants alleged the redundancy reason had been a sham.

Tribunal chairman Mr Charles Goodier said the three former workers had not been given a full explanation about their situation by the firm and said the tribunal decision was that they had been unfairly dismissed.

Mr Callagan and his colleagues afterwards said: "We believe our jobs were sacrificed for the sake of labour at the Czech Republic plant."