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Three truck drivers have been awarded a total of nearly £68,000 for unfair dismissal after losing their jobs with Exel Europe. However Birmingham Employment Tribual made the award against Coventry-based Bost Logistics rather than Excel. John Gumbley, Michael Smith and Andy Rowberry were all based at Exel's Redditch depot in Worcestershire.

Their job was transporting Land Rover parts to and from the Solihull plant for an Exel customer until the contract was lost to haulage firm Bost. All  three drivers told the Tribunal that Exel had said they would be transferred to Bost, but when they turned up for work at Bost they were told there was no work for them.

The Exel management said all three were offered alternative jobs but did not accept them. "This was regarded as a resignation by all three," said an Exel spokeswoman. Gumbley, who had been employed by Exel for 12 years, said he and his colleagues were dismissed and that Exel was responsible.

The Tribunal decided that all three drivers had been unfairly dismissed but that a transfer of employment had taken place and Exel was dismissed from the proceedings. Instead the Tribunal decided that Bost was responsible for the dismissals. Smith was awarded £31,103, Gumbley £19,000 and Rowberry £17,614.