FURIOUS workers at a Jersey electricians’ firm have spoken out after they were made redundant with just a few hours’ notice.

When staff arrived at Collas and Le Sueur electrical contractors in Five Oaks, St Saviour, last Friday they were told that the firm was in serious trouble and might have to close.

And later in the day they received redundancy papers saying that the company was to shut in just a few hours’ time and that it could not afford to pay them holiday pay or a week’s wages in lieu.

It is not clear whether the firm has gone into administration, or whether the nine staff  – some of whom have worked for the firm for 20 years – will benefit from a new scheme where the States funds notice payments to anyone made redundant if their firm has become insolvent.

Deputy Geoff Southern said that he had accompanied five members of staff to the Social Security Department and was disappointed to find that the insolvency scheme, which he put forward to the States, was not yet in place.

The JEP has tried unsuccessfully to obtain a comment from Collas and Le Sueur.