The 30 workers laid-off at a Buncrana call-centre have been told they have until noon today to accept one month’s pay or get nothing.
Workers at Assetco Managed Services, who are part of a larger English company, were told the centre was closing yesterday.
The first workers knew of the closure was when executives from KPMG arrived from Dublin acting on behalf of London-based banks.
A spokesman for Assetco Managed Services ROI, based on the IDA Business Park at Lisfannon, said they had been left in a terrible position.
“We have now been told that we either accept the situation now and get a month’s money or get nothing at all.
“We feel so angry at how we are being treated. Christmas is just around the corner and we are being told that it’s tough – we either take their offer or leave it,” he said.
The Assetco centre was set up in Buncrana in 2006 with grant-aid of more than €2 million.
The company, is part of a larger company, Assetco London Ltd, which provides a breakdown call-out and support service for London Fire Brigade.
London Fire Brigade failed to renew a major contract for Assetco London Ltd leaving workers out in the cold.
Most of the London-based employees will be taken on by the company who won the new contract, Babcock.
However, the Irish company have not been taken on and will lose their jobs.
The spokesman added they are considering their positions and are even thinking of staging a sit-in at the plant.
“We have been very loyal to Assetco London and this is how we have been rewarded.
“We would like London Fire Brigade to know this and to know how we are being treated.
“There are 30 families being thrown on the scrapheap just before Christmas it’s just not on,” said a spokesman.
Meanwhile Fine Gael TD for Donegal North East, Joe McHugh, has confirmed the intervention of Minister for Jobs, Enterprise & Innovation, Richard Bruton TD, who has formally requested that Enterprise Ireland, NERA (National Employment Rights Authority) and the Department of Social Protection intervene to establish the rights of Buncrana employees of Assetco Managed Services.
Minister Bruton has also asked NERA to meet directly with the workers concerned
Minister Bruton’s intervention followed representations made to the Minister by Deputy McHugh.
Deputy McHugh said: ‘I know from conversations yesterday with Assetco Managed Services employees that the placing of the company into administration was very distressing. Initially workers were given until 5.30pm yesterday evening to agree to terms of exit with the administrators; this has now been extended until today.
“I contacted the receivers, KPMG, in London yesterday evening to seek this extension, and I also sought the intervention of Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Richard Bruton TD’.
“Minister Bruton has formally requested Enterprise Ireland, NERA and the Department of Social Protection to definitively establish the rights of workers and has asked NERA to meet the workers concerned.
Tags:
