Ken Penton, spokesman for the Iron & Steel Trades Confederation said the firm had held its hands up to a genuine error over the matter and the union had warned members the money had to be repaid.

The former employee, who did not want to be named, said: “I left the company of my own accord this year and was forced to pay a bonus back.

“They gave everyone an additional bonus and then realised the workers shouldn’t have had it.

“Therefore it had to be paid back out of the bonus they had already received or direct from their wages – they claimed they wanted to make it easier for the workers to pay it back in monthly installments, as opposed to one lump sum.

“But they took nearly £550 from my final pay packet in one go.”

She claimed staff made redundant had not been required to pay it back.

No-one from Corus was available to comment.

Full story in today’s Express & Star

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