THE Worcester employee of a monthly journal has been awarded £2,033 compensation for unfair selection for redundancy after his employers faced financial problems.

Norman Setra of Warndon Villages, Worcester, was "headhunted" by Finz Publishing Ltd of Sherriff Street, Worcester, three years ago, to help the firm launch a magazine called Fenestra dealing with the glass and glazing industry.

But in July, last year, the Finz firm was taken over by Cradley Group Holdings, a printing firm at Cradley Heath, West Midlands, which led to Mr Setra's dismissal, a Birmingham Employment Tribunal was told.

"Although the magazine was successful, advertising targets were increased and the financial position in the Cradley group got worse," Mr Setra told the tribunal.

"My salary was reduced from £33,000 to £25,000 and I was offered an alternative position which was unsuitable, and with a salary of only £20,000.

"Why I was singled out I do not know. Then in December, last year, I was made redundant without prior warning. It was nothing but an ambush".

Mr Setra said he was now trying to make a living as a freelance in the publishing business. He said he believed he had been treated unfairly in being made redundant.

The firm opposed Mr Setra's claim for compensation.

Tony Carter, who was the group's human resources manager at the time, told the tribunal the group faced severe financial problems after taking over the Finz firm.

"We had an overdraft and we had to make 70 workers redundant, after Mr Setra's departure, to make sure the group stayed in business," he said.

"Mr Setra was offered alternative employment with the group, but he declined. The group had to make redundancies. The financial situation has now improved."

Tribunal chairman, Mr Charles Bourn, said: "We have decided to award Mr Setra £2,033 compensation because we believe he was unfairly selected for redundancy.

"He was faced with a drop in status and the normal redundancy procedures were not carried out by the firm."