Redundant workers wait for thousands in wages

ALMOST two weeks after a financial services call centre suddenly shut its three Irish bases with the loss of 108 jobs, its employees have still not received hundreds of thousands of euro in owed wages.

On February 28, Contact 4 rang the managers of its offices in the Gaeltacht areas of Donegal, Mayo and Kerry telling them the operations were shutting with immediate effect. They were ordered to close up the premises. The workers were due to be paid for the previous five weeks’ work on the following day. However, they were told the money would be held up for a week. That week passed last Friday but no wages were forthcoming.

Who is responsible for that failure to pay the money — Contact 4’s owners or Údarás Na Gaeltachta — remained up for debate last night. Pierce Flynn of Contact 4 said the blame lay in the hands of Údarás.