In May last year, York-based Technoprint bought the commercial division of Sessions after it went into administration.

Despite not being involved with the company before the administration, Technoprint, along with other buyers of Sessions, was hit with legal threats by Unite.

The union said that it would not pursue the legal issue, however, as each individual had to retract their claim personally, failure to track down some individuals meant the case continued, forcing Technoprint to defend them.

However, managing director Mark Snee told PrintWeek that the final retraction arrived in the post this morning.

Snee still had harsh words for the union. He said: "What a farce. To start attacking external buyers who come along on good faith and continue to reemploy, even rehire, is ridiculous.

"If this becomes par-for-the-course for whoever buys a company out of administration you won't see many businesses sold in future, the jobs will be lost instead."