WORKERS at North West Water have won a record compensation pay-out of £1.2 million after they contracted a crippling industrial injury.

Eight maintenance workers at the Warrington water utility were suspended in 1998 after contracting Vibration White Finger. Their symptoms included splitting skin, bleeding fingers and hands, loss of feeling, loss of grip and constant pain.

They claim they were dismissed 18 months later because of ill health, after the company failed to re-employ them in alternative roles. In the course of legal proceedings, North West Water admitted negligence in exposing the workers to excessive vibration as they worked with jackhammers and vibrating 'whackers' while maintaining the supply network.

Brian Sutton, utilities spokesman for the General Municipal Boilermakers and Allied Trades Union, said: "This is a victory for working people. Last year North West Water made profits in excess of £300 million and this award is justice for those workers who helped to generate those profits, only to be repaid by crippling injury as a result of the company's negligence. Those who complain about the so-called compensation culture should recognise that the only protection ordinary workers have against negligence and exploitation is the ability to hit companies where it hurts most - in their profits."

But a spokesman for North West Water insisted that the workers had not been dismissed and had retired on the grounds of ill health.

He said: "These claims have been handled by an external insurance company which notified North West Water that the settlement had been reached three weeks ago. The water company had held extensive discussions with the GMB union and offered the individuals concerned retraining as part of a redeployment scheme. The union would not endorse the scheme and were keen instead to progress medical retirement for those people affected."

The workers have asked to remain anonymous throughout the proceedings.

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