Around a quarter of former Stoneywood paper mill workers have won a legal claim against their old employer over claims they were made redundant without proper consultation.
Unite the union launched the mass legal action on behalf of the redundant employees after the paper mill went into administration in 2022.
An employment judge has now ruled that about 75 of the 301 former workers made redundant were entitled to compensation, though other claims remain ongoing.
Unite legal officer Mark Lyon told the BBC: "This is only the first in a series of judgements covering around 75 of the 300 members, and other claims are pending.
"The judgement demonstrates that even after an employer goes out of business, if they have not done things according to the law then Unite will hold them to account even long after the business has closed its doors.
"In this first case our members have received some justice and compensation for the way in which they were poorly treated."
Joint administrators from Interpath Advisory said they did not wish to comment.