UNION representatives at Macmillan publishers in Oxford say they have won a victory for "democracy at work" after their employer was fined £55,000 by the Employment Appeals Tribunal.

The case, brought by the union Unite, was the first case of its kind involving a new law which requires employers to inform and consult staff on major issues.

The president of the tribunal, Mr Justice Elias, said in his ruling that Macmillan had demonstrated a "cavalier" attitude to the law.

The tribunal took just over 20 minutes to find against the company for its failure to implement the regulations, which came into force in 2004.

Unite, the union which represents publishing and media workers, had spent several months trying to persuade Macmillan to set up a forum to consult its 1,300 employees over management decisions that affect them.

The Central Arbitration Committee had already instructed the company to comply with the Information and Consultation Regulations.

Douglas Williamson, a senior Unite representative at Macmillan in Oxford, said: "The biggest issue for us is that the company are still not informing and consulting us over fundamental issues which affect our day-to-day employment.

"These employment rights have been given to us through a European directive but after two years of rigorous campaigning, and after four successful cases against the company, they still refuse to comply with their legal obligations."

He said the company had emailed a draft constitution for the forum, but was silent on the question of how staff representatives would inform and consult their members.

"It's obviously very easy for a union, because we have meetings and talk to our members, but the staff council doesn't do that. We want the representatives to be able to call staff meetings."

He added: "The ruling is obviously very important for companies which employ more than 150 staff. They shot themselves in the foot. If they had consulted us in the first place, we would have negotiated."

The tribunal said it was imposing a large penalty as a warning to other employers.

Macmillan declined to comment.