Unite lodges legal claims for workforce at former Belfast printers over unfair dismissal 

Regional Officer for Unite, Brian Hewitt, confirmed that his union would be initiating legal claims for workers at Nicholson and Bass fourteen of whom have been recently dismissed with eight offered employment under significantly reduced terms and conditions.

“Unite has been highly concerned by the approach taken by the new owners of Nicholson & Bass since they acquired the business in 2017. We warned then that there appeared to be a strategy to undermine workers’ pay and terms & conditions. At the time of the transfer it was only the threat of strike action that forced the owners to respect the workforce’s rights under TUPE legislation.

“Unfortunately management in the company have resorted to their previous agenda. In recent weeks fourteen staff were made redundant with no notice and eight were subsequently forced into re-employment on much reduced terms and conditions and pensions. This is a clear denial of their employment rights and Unite will be pursuing this through the courts.

“The behaviour of the owners of this company must and will be challenged in the courts”, Mr Hewitt said.