THREE workers sacked by a Huddersfield textile firm won payouts totalling more than £63,000 after a tribunal ruled they were unfairly dismissed.

The three employees were made redundant from English Card Clothing (ECC), at Plover Street, Lindley.

Trades union Amicus took their case to an employment tribunal, which ruled that they had been unfairly dismissed and not properly informed or consulted on their redundancy.

The three members received payouts of £31,800, £16,000 and £15,750.

Amicus official Pat Pepper said: "We are delighted that we achieved such a good result for our members.

"We hope this serves as a warning to employers that they cannot just move to cut people's jobs without prior consultation."

Andrew James, of Thompson Solicitors, who represented the claimants, said the tribunal found that ECC had failed to consult the union properly about the criteria used to select his clients for redundancy.

Mr James said ECC also failed to consult properly with his clients before dismissing them.

The tribunal found the company had failed to consider alternatives to compulsory redundancy and had failed to give the workers proper notice.

The assets of ECC were acquired by Belgian-based textile machinery supplier Bekaert earlier this year. Directors at the company declined to comment.