Five workers sacked despite employer assurances they would not receive a decision until next week

Unite question if dismissal was designed to avoid paying meagre redundancy to employees 

Workers at Regina Coeli House who are now into the seventh week of their work-in to save the facility were this afternoon sacked by their employer. The news came despite assurances during a meeting with the Chair and a trustee of the management committee at a disciplinary hearing yesterday [February 24^th] that they would not have any decision before next week. 

Regional Coordinating Officer Susan Fitzgerald condemned the decision to dismiss the five workers which came two days before their date of redundancy [27^th February].

“This is a despicable decision – it adds insult to injury; it highlights yet again the scandalous approach of the management committee. Yesterday sitting face to face with management I raised that Unite’s fear is that they intend to sack our members to avoid paying redundancy. They were outraged by this suggestion. Today our members have been dismissed two days before their redundancy.

“This afternoon a letter was delivered to each of these five women workers sacking them with immediate effect. Our members have only acted upon their duty of care to stay and support the residents; by contrast the management committee have been nowhere near the hostel in the last six weeks. Nor have they once enquired as to the well-being of the homeless women residents in the hostel, one of whom remains, due to the lack of appropriate alternative accommodation.

“Today’s decision will only redouble the determination of our members to fight for respectful treatment by the management committee and to save this invaluable service.”