UNION leaders say over 300 workers from the insolvency-hit Markinch paper firm Tullis Russell received no consultation over their redundancies.

The revelation came as workers met in Glenrothes with emotions running high following 325 shock redundancies earlier this week after the company went into administration.

Unite say the staff were "shamefully informed" of the job losses early last Monday morning with phone calls and messages "without any consultation".

Staff are now demanding answers from absent directors who claimed only last month that jobs were 'safeguarded'.

Unite has also highlighted that the redundancies are the last straw for workers rights in Britain, who are among the easiest to fire in the European Union, and have called for the urgent strengthening of redundancy laws early in the next UK parliament.

Unite regional officer Dougie Maguire said: "Let's be clear that Tullis Russell directors have serious questions to answer about how this company was so suddenly plunged into administration and the workers want answers.

"This is a heart-breaking situation where the workforce have turned out in their hundreds, shocked and victims of a hopeless employment law system and a group of directors who didn't give a second thought to throwing them on the dole.

"Today was also about ensuring our members get the best legal advice possible in the wake of this shock announcement but it's small crumbs of comfort because people want to be working, not dealing with this situation.

"Our immediate priority now is our involvement on the Scottish government task force and if there is any possibility that we can save these jobs - we will explore every option."

Kilmacolm-based PG Paper has expressed an interest in buying the company as a going concern.

Tullis Russell called in administrators after experiencing a long-term decline in its market and cumulative losses of £18.5 million over the last five years.

The job losses at Tullis Russell came less than two months after the official opening of a new £200 million combined heat and power (CHP) biomass plant on site, which energy minister Fergus Ewing and Tullis Russell Group chief executive Chris Parr said would "safeguard 500 jobs".