A UNION official says a decision by an industrial tribunal that three men were unfairly dismissed by a haulage firm should serve as a warning to other employers.

Brian Anderson, York-based regional industrial organiser with the Transport and General Workers' Union, spoke after the victory by former employees of haulage contractor S D Cooper, of Brickyard Farm, West Cowick, near Goole.

Derrick Johnson, of Brook Street, Selby; Frank Turner, of Tennyson Street, Goole; and Reg Howell, of Rossington, Doncaster, are now looking forward to receiving compensation.

The TGWU and the company have been given until February 26 to reach a 'mutually acceptable agreement'.

If they fail to do so, the tribunal will resume on that date and compensation terms will be set by the panel - which ruled that the three men did not contribute in any way to their dismissal.

Mr Anderson said the transport firm's boss, Mr S D Cooper, asked Mr Johnson to run the office while he was recovering from a hernia operation.

Despite having no experience of office work, Mr Johnson tried doing so for a week before saying he was not prepared to go on.

Mr Cooper then announced he was shutting down the company and making all of his workers redundant. Each employee received a one-line letter informing them of their period of notice. The letters were dated August 8, 1997.

Although Mr Cooper later rescinded his decision to close the firm, the three men - who now work for other companies - refused to go back.

Mr Anderson said: "We are very pleased that these drivers have won.

"If they had had a reasonable employer, we wouldn't have been in the position of having to go to a tribunal.

"We hope that other employers will take note and not dismiss people in this way."

Before the tribunal, Mr Anderson had said the actions of the company were like those used in the 1890s and the union hoped to show the firm was an "unreasonable and draconian employer".

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