Tuffnells staff who worked at the parcel firm’s depot in Nuneaton have approached a law firm to find out if they can get compensation for the way their redundancy was handled.
More than 2,000 jobs were lost at the Sheffield-based delivery firm when it collapsed into administration on Monday (12 June).
Just 128 staff kept their jobs to help administrator Interpath Advisory, with the remainder at the company’s 33 UK depots being made redundant. Now angry staff who worked in Warwickshire have asked solicitors Aticus Law to investigate whether the correct legal processes were followed.
The law firm said that when more than 20 staff are made redundant at one location, a company legally has to consult with either a recognised trade union or elected employee representatives.
In a statement, Aticus Law said it would work for former staff on a no win, no fee basis: “If Tuffnells did not comply with this obligation, and you were made redundant without notice, you may be entitled to claim compensation by bringing a claim for a protective award to the employment tribunal,” it said. “Unfortunately, when a company is placed into administration, we often see a large number of employees being made redundant.
“Therefore, protective award claims are brought to the tribunal as large class action claims. Large class action claims involve a number of individual claimants making a joint claim.
“Make sure to discuss the protective award claim with any former colleagues who have also faced redundancy as they may also be eligible to be part of the claim.”
Earlier this week, a petition was set up by a disgruntled former Tuffnells employee, demanding that the government investigates the circumstances surrounding its collapse.
One signatory said: “Not only was there no consultation, [there was] no redundancy and no last pay packet. We poured our heart and souls into Tuffnells just to get treated like this.”
