Arntz Belting Company workers in Londonderry will today hear what package their union representatives have been able to secure for them as the factory prepares to close after 42 years in the city.

A delegation of union representatives, workers and politicians made a one day trip to Germany to plead the 112 workers’ case. Mayor of Derry Paul Fleming, MLA Martina Anderson and MP Mark Durkan joined UNITE representative Uel Adair and shop stewards Joe W Doherty and Martin Deery on the trip.

In a bid to keep the Pennyburn factory open Invest Northern Ireland had offered financial aid to the German company but this had been turned down. Instead the firm has decided to make a £10m investment in a Romanian plant.

Union representatives have argued that Arntz's parent company should be generous with the severance packages offered as the Derry workers — who make fan belts for farm machinery — had been at least part responsible in making the company profitable enough to make investments in Romania and China.