GMB, the union for Carillion members, has received confirmation from management that members in Northern Ireland will continue to be paid after the construction giant went into liquidation.
The stricken company, which has contracts with the Northern Ireland Housing Executive, employs 20,000 workers across Britain, said crunch talks over the weekend aimed at driving down debt and shoring up its balance sheet had failed to result in the "short term financial support" it needed to continue trading while a deal was reached.
Micheal Mulholland, GMB Organiser, said: “Carillion management contacted us first thing this morning and we expect further engagement over coming weeks.
“They confirmed they will continue to be paid staff until the end of January and they will be working closely with us on the future."
Carillion, which has been struggling under £900 million of debt and a £590 million pension deficit, has seen its shares price plunge more than 70% in the past six months after making a string of profit warnings and breaching its financial covenants.
Chairman Philip Green said: "This is a very sad day for Carillion, for our colleagues, suppliers and customers that we have been proud to serve over many years.
"Over recent months huge efforts have been made to restructure Carillion to deliver its sustainable future and the board is very grateful for the huge efforts made by Keith Cochrane, our executive team and many others who have worked tirelessly over this period."
Unions have called for urgent reassurances over the jobs, pay and pensions of thousands of workers following the "disastrous" news.
