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Seatem workers attend tribunal
16.02.12
Report: Inishowen Independent
MORE THAN sixty staff from a former travel and
ticketing company in Buncrana who are owed
redundancy payments since 2010 have attended an
employment appeals tribunal in a bid to have their
claims progressed.
A total of 63 staff who worked in Seatam Donegal at
Lisfannon have taken action against their former
employers who once provided ticketing services to
top entertainment venues and events under the Keith
Prowse brand. As Seatem Donegal has since dissolved,
it is now most likely that the Government will have
to foot the bill for the outstanding payments.
Two representatives of the company were at the
tribunal in the Silver Tassie Hotel, Letterkenny
last Friday morning and it was confirmed that they
were consenting to the applications by the former
employees. The workers were represented by local
county councillor Rena Donaghey.
Workers were called before the panel and asked to
provide personal details and details of their
earnings. Chairman of the tribunal, Myles Gilvarry,
outlined to the former workers that on completion of
the hearing, an order will be drawn up enabling them
to claim compensation.
He urged workers to give the company one week to
reply to their request once the orders have been
posted and if there is no response, then they should
forward their claim onto the Department of Social
Protection who have a fund to pay out redundancy if
a company is insolvent.
Workers were told that there is currently a backlog
in the process but Mr Gilvarry expressed hopes that
their claim should be settled within the next six
months. |
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Some of the former employees of
Seatem, Lisfannon, pictured with Cllr Rena Donaghey
outside an employment appeals tribunal in
Letterkenny. |
Outlining the
background to the company, Cllr Donaghey explained
that Seatam Donegal was a travel and ticketing
business operating under the Keith Prowse brand in
the UK.
The tribunal heard that the company sold directly to
the customer under Keith Prowse and other brands.
Seatam Donegal was established in 2002 and received
a €700,000 grant from the IDA. In addition the
company was approved a further €364,000 under the
Government Employment Subsidy Scheme. Some €204,000
of the subsidy was paid to the company.
At its peak, the company employed 85 permanent staff
and 28 temporary workers.
Seatam Donegal ceased trading in August 2010, with
the loss of all jobs in Inishowen. |
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