Builder must repay 7 workers €93k

A BUILDER has been ordered to pay almost e93,000 to seven Polish workers amid claims they were paid less than the minimum wage and were given no wage slips.

Gerry Lambert of Oughterard was also ordered to comply with the registered employment agreement in the construction industry.

According to Industrial Relations News, the money owed to the workers varies between e2,362.08 and e17,740.95. The total amount owed is e92,968.36. The workers concerned were working for Mr Lambert on a site in Tullamore where, according to Pat McCabe of SIPTU, they received no pay slips or contracts. Some were receiving less than the minimum wage.

Mr McCabe said SIPTU had met with Mr Lambert in advance of any third-party intervention. However, after claiming he was ignorant of the registered employment agreement, the builder withdrew from the talks.

The case was taken to the Labour Court under Section 32 of the 1946 Industrial Relations Act.

In making its ruling, the Labour Court said it was satisfied Mr Lambert was an employer affected by the Construction Industry Registered Employment Agreement.

Separately, Mr Lambert has been ordered to pay the workers e1,500 each under the Terms of Employment Information Act by the Rights Commissioner.

Yesterday Mr McCabe said the men had still not received the monies from Mr Lambert and he said if it was not paid, he would be referring the matter to SIPTU’s legal section with a view to securing a court order.