Workers set to reclaim millions in lost pay

THOUSANDS of past and present employees of construction giant Gama are set to reclaim millions in lost wages after previously unknown accounts were yesterday discovered in Holland.

The accounts - amounting to a possible €40 million in workers’ money - were first set up in Dutch-based Finansbank in 2002 by Gama, the firm accused by Socialist Party leader Joe Higgins of stealing millions through underpaying migrant workers.

Although Gama claims all workers signed documents authorising the creation of the accounts, employees insist they were only shown forms in English which they did not understand.

Speaking to the Irish Examiner yesterday, Gama’s account manager at Finansbank, Hakan Tezel, said all workers were entitled to claim their money.

Brought to Holland by Mr Higgins yesterday, four former Gama workers were told by Finansbank that they were entitled to between €4,000 and €23,000 each.

The bank said it had no idea that workers were not aware of their accounts.

“The only thing I can say is that the people should be taking care of the decisions they are signing,” Mr Tezel said.

However, Mr Tezel confirmed no statements had ever been sent to workers. He also conceded it was “unusual” that none of the thousands of Gama’s employees had ever contacted the bank in relation to their accounts.

In addition, it emerged yesterday that workers’ wages were transferred from Finansbank to a third mystery firm called Ryder Investments.

Finansbank refused to reveal where Ryder Investments is based or who controls the firm.

It is unclear who benefits from any return on investments the firm may be making with workers’ money.

Mr Higgins last night said he was pleased to have uncovered employees’ money but warned there were numerous other unresolved issues.

“We have uncovered some of the money owed and that’s very significant but the question of thousands of hours of unpaid labour and other issues still remain,” he said.

Meanwhile, a Government report into the allegations against Gama is due to be published early next week.

As first revealed in the Irish Examiner last month, the report fails to clear the company and calls for further investigations.

It is understood Enterprise Minister Mícheál Martin, who has already suspended issuing work permits to Gama, will be asked to sanction further probes by the Director of Corporate Enforcement and the Revenue Commissioners.

Yesterday’s revelations are expected to form part of those inquiries.

Gama, which employs up to 800 migrant workers in Ireland, is involved in numerous State infrastructural projects.