1,400 workers made redundant following the collapse of social-housing giant Connaught are reportedly considering legal action for unfair dismissal.
Many of the workers received no notice about potential redundancies before being laid off last Monday.
Brian Rye, of construction union UCATT, who led workers in a protest outside Norwich City Hall last week, said the union is offering advisory services and other help to workers made redundant.
He said: "We have sent out three mail shots and have been very busy offering advice to the workers. We are looking at the tribunal claims issue -- whether there can be any claims for unfair dismissal or for what are known as protective awards -- because there was no consultation.
"That's the focus for the moment, along with trying to ensure the ex-Connaught workers are taken on when short-term contracts are handed out in the weeks ahead."
3,000 jobs were saved after Morgan Sindall and Mears agreed a deal with administrators KPMG to assume Connaught's maintenance contracts, but around 1,400 workers were laid off, and UCATT general secretary Alan Ritchie has been fiercely critical of KPMG for failing to communicate with unions, councils, and housing associations. He says workers and their loved ones have suffered unnecessary uncertainty and stress as a result.
Moreover, at a time when the public purse is already suffering, workers made redundant must apply to the Government for redundancy payments, pay in lieu of notice, and outstanding holiday entitlement -- all of this could have been avoided, says Ritchie.
Councils and housing associations are also feeling the strain, as families left in the lurch by the collapse of Connaught get in touch to ask when vital repair work will be done.
Links:
- Union bosses investigating Connaught redundancy procedures (EDP24)
- Administrators KPMG replace Connaught with Lovell (The Solicitor)
- Redundancy rights (Findlaw.co.uk)
- Unfair dismissal law (Findlaw.co.uk)
- Employment law Q&A (Community)
- Employment law news (The Solicitor)
- Find an employment solicitor (Contact Law)
