Energy Direct's 38 staff feel betrayed by the "hurried and secret" sale of their company, according to their union.
Wanganui District Council decided behind closed doors last Tuesday to sell the company to TrustPower for $13.7 million.
Energy Direct employees, mostly sales and reception staff, called for a meeting with Mayor Annette Main and Wanganui Holdings chairman Matt Doyle, and that took place yesterday.
Colin Webster, an organiser with the Engineering, Printing and Manufacturing Union, attended the meeting and said staff were not happy.
"They had no idea the company was going to be sold. They were told on Wednesday morning that it was a done deal."