More than 300 nervous workers attended the Lavington gearbox factory to learn their fate, a week after the company went into receivership.

Drivetrain workers' reaction

Outside the meeting, the unlucky ones shed tears and lashed out at the company as well as the Federal Government for its lack of support.

“I’m sort of ashamed to be called an Australian with a Government like that,” Lloyd Jennings said, who was one of the 208 workers to miss out.

Tracy Clarke fought back tears. “I don’t know what I will do,” she said.

“I guess I just have to go on the dole, what can I do, I’m a single parent?

“All my workmates are gone too.” For the 131 workers retained for a further eight weeks, it was a bittersweet day, with their relief tempered by the fact so many had lost jobs. Union officials said the workers were being “robbed blind”, with the company failing to pay full redundancy entitlements.

George Grzenda speaks to media

While those who have lost jobs will be eligible for up to 16 weeks’ redundancy payments from the Government, some axed staff are owed more than 100 weeks’ pay.

“What’s going on here is not just sad, it’s a national disgrace,” Australian Manufacturing Workers’ Union spokesman Paul Bastian said.

Centrelink said it would open on Saturday and Sunday in Albury to help DSI workers.

Receiver Stephen Longley remains confident of selling the factory and hopes that SsangYong and Mahindra and Mahindra will resume orders from it in due course, allowing the factory workforce to grow again.