Workers in Spawell continue protest at non payment of wages
Wednesday 26 August 2009Mandate calls on Minister for Enterprise to investigate Spawell dispute
Mandate Trade Union members in the Spawell Pub and Nightclub are continuing their protest today at the Spawell complex in Templeogue. The workers were made redundant two weeks ago with no redundancy money and with approximately one month’s wages owed to each of the staff members.
CB Taverns, trading as the Spawell Licenced Premises, ceased trading on Monday, 10 August 2009 with the loss of 32 jobs. The company has still not paid staff members wages outstanding to them including over two weeks wages and holiday pay.
Mr Eddie Cassidy, Divisional Organiser for Mandate said the workers are getting increasingly frustrated by the lack of action by management in the company and are disappointed that an employer can treat its workers in this manner and get away with it for so long.
“Clearly this should be a wake up call to workers and unions and it shows that closer scrutiny of businesses is needed in order to prevent this type of incident happening again. The management in CB Taverns have been very confrontational and unhelpful during this whole debacle. They are responsible for the situation these workers find themselves in but it would appear that they are unwilling to shoulder any of that responsibility.
“Mandate will do everything in its power to ensure that these workers receive appropriate compensation and that preventative measures are taken to ensure employers behave responsibly in future. Mandate is calling on Mary Coughlan, the Minister for the Enterprise, Trade and Employment, to investigate this incident and take steps to protect workers from unscrupulous and irresponsible employers in future.”
Mr Cassidy also said that the workers have received tremendous support from members of the public and also from political representatives.
“We’ve received a lot of support from the public and politicians in the area. The workers have asked me in particular to thank Deputy Pat Rabbitte and Cllr Dermot Looney of the Labour Party, Deputy Brian Hayes of Fine Gael and Cllr Sean Crowe of Sinn Fein for their continued support,” concluded Mr Cassidy.
