A LEGAL team is looking at pursuing a compensation claim for more than 200 sacked workers.

The O'Donnell Brothers civil engineering firm, which had depots on Teesside and Tyneside, went into administration early last month.

Administrators sacked 229 of the 267 workers.

Tom Ross, GMB regional organiser, has asked the union's lawyers, Thompson's, to look at pursuing a protective award for failure to carry out a 90-day consultation with workers, plus an unfair dismissal case.

Mr Ross said: "I don't want our members to feel they can count their money yet, this is not a done deal. But the file is with Thompson's and we will have to take it from there."

A protective award would be paid out by the Government, and could run into hundreds of thousands of pounds.

Solicitors will look at whether legislation governing TUPE, the transfer of undertakings and protection of employment, applies. The NEDL contract is being carried out by another firm, so the union believes the O'Donnell workers should have transferred with the contract.

The family firm, which has depots in Billingham and Lemington, went into administration following the loss of a utilities contract with electricity supplier NEDL.

The three brothers who own it - Michael, Kieran, and John Joseph O'Donnell - set up a separate business, Reeds Plant Hire, earlier this year.

This company, which also has depots in Billingham and Lemington, bought the plant hire side of their old operation.

Mr Ross said administrators DTE Leonard Curtis had also still not sent out p45 forms to some of those made redundant.

They cannot claim benefits or secure new jobs without the form.

A spokeswoman for DTE Leonard Curtis declined to comment.