A worker let go by an engineering firm earlier this year has accused it of playing a “financial game” and “hoping to get away with not paying” staff and suppliers.
“All I want is a piece of money that is due to me so I can feed my family, pay for my house, and pay for the petrol that I put in my car. They have done everything possible to avoid payments, come up with excuse after excuse after excuse,” he told the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC).
The worker, Francis Declan Radmall, is one of two former staff who have lodged claims for alleged unpaid wages against Randridge International Ltd after being made redundant in July.
Mr Radmall, who gave an address in Johannesburg, South Africa, said he has not yet received his redundancy entitlements and various sums he claims are due as wages, all of which he contends add up to an “outstanding” €25,995.60.
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Quoting from a letter he got from the firm at a hearing on Monday, Mr Radmall said he was told that the business was “facing challenging times” due to the “knock-on effects” of a bankruptcy, had an “inability to pay wages” and was left with “no option but to make compulsory redundancies”.
Mr Radmall said this letter was dated 10th July, but gave him notice that he had been let go on 5th July. The company’s chief executive, Darren Daly, said he had emailed the complainant with the information on 4 July.
The complainant said he was due a pay rise from €52,000 to €56,000 – amounting to €333.33 a month – which he alleged the company had failed to pay between June 2023 and the end of his employment. The, Mr Daly, said Mr Radmall had not signed the contract sent to him. Mr Radmall countered that it could be in force without his having signed it.
Mr Radmall said he had also calculated that he had been left short €2,833 in salary in June this year and €5,495.65 in July, but that he had not received payslips.
Mr Daly pointed out that Mr Radmall had alleged in his claim form that there was “no salary payment for June” but said the firm had paid 40 per cent of Mr Radmall’s salary that month. The respondent’s representative, Roberta Urbon of Peninsula, said “part-payment” of salary was made in July.
The complainant said that he had made a data subject access request for payslips from the company to “get those figures” but that nothing had been forthcoming.
“You received some payment in June, in respect of your June salary,” Mr O’Neill said.
“I have no proof of that,” Mr Radmall said.
He said he was also due an “addendum” payment worth €2,500.
Ms Urbon said “the majority” of what was being claimed by Mr Radmall “has been paid”.
Adjudicating officer Breiffni O’Neill said he would need more detail on Mr Radmall’s pay complaint. “I don’t want headline figures, I want to see a breakdown,” he said.
He adjourned the case and directed the company to produce documents which Mr Radmall said he needed, including payslips for June and July.
Mr O’Neill said it was unlikely that the tribunal would be able to list the case again sooner than the New Year.
“Honestly, I find that unacceptable, because Randridge are just playing a game, another financial game,” Mr Radmall said. He said he had compiled a list of “over 20 people” he claimed were owed money by the firm.
“I hope Peninsula don’t fall into that category that they’re not going to be paid,” he said, referring to the human resources consultancy representing the firm at hearing.
“This is an ongoing problem and I’ve reached out to the organisation to resolve this without the involvement of the WRC. They have not responded in a positive manner whatsoever.”
“The organisation is treating not only me but their suppliers and other individuals exactly the same, hoping to get away with not paying people in accordance with their contract,” he said.
At a separate hearing on Monday, another former employee of Randridge, Alison Tynan, withdrew a claim for statutory redundancy, stating that she had received a payment from the company “yesterday”.
However, she said she was still seeking six weeks’ notice pay, two weeks’ wages and three days in lieu of accrued annual leave.
Ms Tynan said she had been called to a meeting her manager on 4 July this year. She said her manager handed her two payslips and told her: “We cannot pay you these, but I’m giving you the payslips.”
“I was given a letter to say this was owed,” Ms Tynan said. “It wasn’t paid. I haven’t heard anything since ... I’ve two payslips and a letter, but no money,” she said.
Mr O’Neil said it seemed there was “a gross amount of about €6,500″ outstanding and Ms Tynan agreed.
Ms Urbon said the claim was conceded. Mr O’Neill said he would give his decision in writing to the parties, and closed the hearing.
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