28 March 2012 16:00 GMT / By Rik Henderson
Staff staging sit-ins in closed GAME stores in the Republic of Ireland say they will not budge until the GAME Group and UK administrators PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) pay them redundancy and entitlements that they are due.
In a statement released today, the staff claim that although the administrator has been appointed to look after UK interests following the closure of 277 stores in the UK and Ireland, there is no equivalent for the Republic of Ireland. They say they have been told to apply through the Irish state for redundancy.
"We were informed that we would not be paid redundancy or any statutory or contractual notice period or any outstanding annual leave," it says.
"We have only been told to make a claim to the state for our statutory redundancy entitlements, a process which we have not been offered any support with and which we understand will take over a year to complete while GAME and PricewaterhouseCoopers walk away from any responsibility or liability in the Republic of Ireland, even whilst they have asked us to remove all company assets back to the UK, which we believe puts them out of reach of any Irish creditors."
One staff member of GAME Monaghan, Ben Lamb O’Sullivan, had been posting pictures and updates on his Facebook page, but it is currently not working, and may have been taken down.
Staff at other GAME stores across Eire are also believed to be taking part, including two in Cork City.
The statement hints that the sit-ins could cease if the administrators settle on redundancy payments. "GAME and PricewaterhouseCoopers can expedite their payments and allow staff to pay their mortgages and feed their families without having to wait as much as 16 months for their just entitlements," it says.
"We, the employees of GAME Ireland, believe the way we are being treated is wholly unfair and unjust. We are now sitting in our stores as a form of protest until GAME and PricewaterhouseCoopers address our concerns."
It is believed that representatives of PwC are to update Irish workers today, and respond to the protests.
Did you lose your job at GAME? If so, were you offered any redundancy or financial package? Let us know in the comments below...
Thank You : Source : pocket-lint.com : & team
In a statement released today, the staff claim that although the administrator has been appointed to look after UK interests following the closure of 277 stores in the UK and Ireland, there is no equivalent for the Republic of Ireland. They say they have been told to apply through the Irish state for redundancy.
"We were informed that we would not be paid redundancy or any statutory or contractual notice period or any outstanding annual leave," it says.
"We have only been told to make a claim to the state for our statutory redundancy entitlements, a process which we have not been offered any support with and which we understand will take over a year to complete while GAME and PricewaterhouseCoopers walk away from any responsibility or liability in the Republic of Ireland, even whilst they have asked us to remove all company assets back to the UK, which we believe puts them out of reach of any Irish creditors."
Staff at other GAME stores across Eire are also believed to be taking part, including two in Cork City.
The statement hints that the sit-ins could cease if the administrators settle on redundancy payments. "GAME and PricewaterhouseCoopers can expedite their payments and allow staff to pay their mortgages and feed their families without having to wait as much as 16 months for their just entitlements," it says.
"We, the employees of GAME Ireland, believe the way we are being treated is wholly unfair and unjust. We are now sitting in our stores as a form of protest until GAME and PricewaterhouseCoopers address our concerns."
It is believed that representatives of PwC are to update Irish workers today, and respond to the protests.
Did you lose your job at GAME? If so, were you offered any redundancy or financial package? Let us know in the comments below...
Thank You : Source : pocket-lint.com : & team
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