UNITE Union regional organizer, Walter Cullen, said this week it was a disgrace that former employees of Waterford Crystal were still awaiting statutory redundancy payments 104 days after being sacked by the company Receiver on January 31st.
Mr Cullen said the union was given a clear commitment that the payments would be made within four to six weeks of receipt of claims in the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment. These claims were lodged by the Receiver on the 25th March 2009 but the workers still hadn’t received their entitlements.
“We have now been informed by the redundancy section of the Department of Enterprise Trade and Employment that due to ‘legal and accountancy issues’, which require clarification from the receiver, payments are not being made.
This is an absolute disgrace and unacceptable. The government did nothing to help these workers when their livelihoods were taken away and it is beyond belief that they are still causing untold pain to ordinary decent families by withholding these payments.
“Our members have paid their taxes, paid their PRSI and contributed to the state in every way possible. That they should be treated so callously in return is shocking.”
