More than 100 workers at a major city firm have been told they are out of a job just days before Christmas after their employer went into administration.
Staff at Richard Irvin Aberdeen, which provides management and mechanical project services, expressed anger last night over the sudden announcement.
An estimated 110 were informed of the move shortly before 4pm yesterday, leaving some struggling over the festive period.
One said: “I worked at the company for seven years and now am out of job and pocket.
“There had been rumours for weeks, and we heard that the company seemingly didn’t put in their accounts to HMRC in September, which led to this.
“Most of the workforce work from week to week so this will be a huge blow.
“The staff were not warned and we are so angry at the company for not given us any idea before yesterday.”
Another former employee had spent “hundreds” of pounds on Christmas presents for his children last weekend, which he said he would not have done if he had known he would be unemployed the following week.
At the start of this year Richard Irvin Aberdeen employed 400 in operations across Scotland including Dundee, Edinburgh, Elgin, Glasgow and Inverness – and about 35% of the firm’s work came from outside the Granite City area.
Bob Brannan, the company’s third chairman in five years, had been enlisted to ramp up the pace of the company’s expansion beyond the north-east.
He took over the role after Willie MacLean, the firm’s chief executive since 2013, stepped down to “take on a new challenge”.
Major projects carried out by the company last year included work on the flagship mixed-use office and hotel development at Marischal Square in Aberdeen, as well as five new primary schools across the north-east.
The firm could not be reached for comment last night.
Staff were due to finish tomorrow for two weeks’ holidays, and have been informed to claim any accrued holiday pay through the government.
One woman, who did not wish to be named, is appealing online for job opportunities for her husband to ensure the family have enough money going into the New Year.
She said: “They were called into the office at 3.45pm and told the company had gone into administration and they had no job after today.
“They have been assured they will be paid for last week on Friday but we are yet to see if that happens.
“Holiday pay for the Christmas period which has been accrued won’t be paid and everyone has been told to claim for this and for their redundancy through the government.”
The company’s Aberdeen Facebook page was taken offline last night amid a barrage of negative comments.
