Hundreds of jobs have been saved after creditors voted against closing a company's doors for good.
Global Marine Systems, which has sites employing about 60 staff in Chelmsford and Boreham and more than 350 elsewhere, had been told jobs would go after owner Bridgehouse Marine went into administration just weeks after buying it.
The firm's creditors then had the task of deciding whether or not it should close its doors for good.
After hearing protests from angry and worried employees the board allowed Grace Mitchell, a Communication Workers' Union secretary, to join them - and subsequently took the decision to save the company.
Ms Mitchell said: "It was brilliant to see the employees in action, fighting their corner for their right to survive.
"It is a very rare thing for a trade union to be voted on to the board of creditors, but what our involvement added to the equation was a critical human element that is so often lost in these situations."
The MacDonald Partnership, administrators for Global Marine Systems, was unavailable for comment.
Published Tuesday, November 16, 2004
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