Latest news with #redundancy
BreakingNews.ie
a day ago
- Business
- BreakingNews.ie
Former kitman takes unfair dismissal case against Dundalk FC
Dundalk FC's former kitman is taking a case for unfair dismissal against the financially troubled League of Ireland club. Noel Walsh had worked for Dundalk since 2012 and was described as 'the staple of the everyday and often the voice of reason' by the club's head of football operations last year. Advertisement After his employment ended in 2024, he filed separate complaints to the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) alleging unfair dismissal and lodging a claim for redundancy. An adjudication hearing of the WRC was on Thursday heard that Dundalk FC had offered to pay Mr Walsh redundancy of €6,500 but would be unable to provide this in a lump sum due to its financial issues. Instead, the club offered to make 10 payments of €600 over 10 months, along with a final payment of €500. Mr Walsh, who was represented by his friend, retired law lecturer Francis Watters, declined this offer on the basis that it would leave him 'totally dependent' on the goodwill of his former employer as the payments would be difficult to enforce. Advertisement Barrister Cillian McGovern, representing Dundalk FC, suggested that this was a case of Mr Walsh wanting 'to have his cake and eat it', and appealed to him and Mr Watters as fans of the club to appreciate its financial challenges. 'Both Mr Watters and Mr Walsh portray themselves as lifelong fans of the club. They are acutely aware of the financial difficulties the club was in. This is not a secret,' he said. Mr McGovern said the Dundalk's new owner, John Temple, who attended the hearing, had come in with a crew to keep the club afloat. It came close to liquidation last September after reporting a loss of nearly €1.5 million for 2023. 'There are massive commitments made to Revenue… the FAI are scrutinising everything the club does, as is Revenue,' he said. Advertisement Following a brief recess to allow the parties to discuss matters in private, WRC adjudicator Davnet O'Driscoll was asked to adjourn the case for 11 months until May 6th, 2026. This would allow Dundalk FC to make the phased payment of €6,500 to Mr Walsh as proposed, but would provide him with recourse to the WRC if the club reneged on its commitment. Mr Watters indicated that Mr Walsh would seek to withdraw all of his complaints if the full amount was received, but asked that these – including his claim for unfair dismissal – remain in place until then. 'We are willing to pay the amount of money. It just has to happen over a period of time,' said Mr McGovern. Advertisement 'Mr Temple has received advice from the financial controller of the club that that is the position, and the reason being is there has to be amounts available at all time for the club.' He said the adjournment would 'put the complainant at ease' in the knowledge that, 'should anything go awry', his recourse to the WRC would be preserved. Ms O'Driscoll noted that 11 months was a long time for a case to be adjourned but said she appreciated that there were 'other interests' that had needed to be considered. She commended the parties on reaching an agreement.
BreakingNews.ie
29-05-2025
- Business
- BreakingNews.ie
Restaurant manager awarded €17k after being made redundant after becoming pregnant
A well-known hospitality group on Dublin's northside has been ordered to pay €17,000 to a former assistant manager of one of its restaurants who was made redundant shortly after notifying her manager she was pregnant. The Workplace Relations Commission ruled that McHugh's Restaurants had discriminated against Karen Condell on grounds of gender over her dismissal from her role as assistant manager at McHugh's restaurant in Portmarnock. Advertisement The WRC found that it had breached the Employment Equality acts 1998-2015 in its handling of the dismissal. The company, which also operates McHugh's restaurant in Raheny and Blackbanks bar and grill in Kilbarrack, is part of a group which also operates a number of off-licences and Centra stores. Ms Condell claimed the redundancy cited as the reason for her dismissal was not genuine. She told the WRC that she informed her employer in June 2024 that she was pregnant. Advertisement Ms Condell said she was subsequently informed by the group's hospitality manager, Paul Foley, at the end of July 2024 that the restaurant in Portmarnock would be closing but she was reassured that redeployment options would be explored. She gave evidence that no alternative role was found for her over the period she worked out her notice. The company said a decision was taken to close the Portmarnock restaurant on July 30th, 2024. Mr Foley gave evidence that attempts were made to find alternative employment for affected staff. Advertisement He stated employees with over a year of service were subsequently offered roles elsewhere within the group but only one staff member with less than 12 months' service – a chef – was redeployed due to a specific vacancy matching their role. Mr Foley said he had noted that 'all our hospitality businesses are worryingly slow' when asked by Mr Condell in August 2024 about another role. He told her on August 27th, 2024 that no alternative jobs had been found. Mr Foley said he mentioned that there might be a role in a deli although he had no authority over the group's grocery division, although he thought it might not be suitable given she was pregnant. Advertisement WRC adjudication officer, Breiffni O'Neill, said he was satisfied that there was prima facie evidence that Ms Condell was discriminated against as the restaurant's owner had failed to source an alternative role for her following the closure of the outlet in Portmarnock. Mr O'Neill contrasted her situation with many of her colleagues from the Portmarnock restaurant who were not pregnant and who were given jobs elsewhere within the group. He highlighted how the company had held no discussions with Ms Condell prior to notifying her she was being made redundant on July 30th, 2024. Mr O'Neill said she was also not provided with any opportunity to engage in what would have been a very belated consultation process about her redundancy in advance of her termination date. Advertisement He specifically pointed to how she had not been asked for any input or questioned about her transferable skills, qualifications or previous experience. Ireland Donegal farmer who broke man's eye socket avoids j... Read More The WRC official noted that Mr Foley was unable to say if any other roles had become available within the group during her notice period which had not been offered to other staff from the Portmarnock restaurant. 'The respondent did not take sufficient and effective measures to avoid dismissing the complainant on the grounds of redundancy,' said Mr O'Neill. Ordering McHugh's Restaurants to pay Ms Condell compensation of €17,000 – the equivalent of 26 weeks' pay – for the negative effects of her discriminatory dismissal, Mr O'Neill said the sanction should be 'effective, dissuasive and proportionate.' While a higher award might well be justified in the case, he said it took into account Ms Condell's relatively short period of employment and the relatively small nature of the respondent's business.
Daily Mail
28-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
Melissa Reddy among 'SEVEN' job casualties at Sky Sports News
Meslissa Reddy is reportedly one of seven Sky Sports News broadcasters who has been informed she is being made redundant. The reporter was told her fate alongside her colleagues in an internal memo on Tuesday, according to The Sun. It comes after presenter Rob Wotton choked up during his final appearance after 27 years working for the channel on Monday. Teddy Draper, Jasper Taylor, Jeremy Langdon, Fadumo Olow, and producer Nick Lustig have also reportedly been cut. More to follow.
The Sun
28-05-2025
- Business
- The Sun
Melissa Reddy among SEVEN Sky Sports News presenters leaving in major shake-up
SKY SPORTS NEWS have confirmed the departures of seven senior broadcasters as part of a major redundancy programme. Long-serving presenter Rob Wotton announced his departure after 30 years in a tearful farewell live on air on Monday evening. 5 5 And SunSport has learned that Sky Sports News have told staff that six of Wotton's colleagues will also be leaving in an internal memo sent yesterday. Fellow presenters Teddy Draper and Jasper Taylor are also going this summer, along with senior reporters Jeremy Langdon and Melissa Reddy and Fadumo Olow, and producer Nick Lustig. Sky Sports declined to comment when approached by SunSport. Wotton was in tears as he announced his departure from the company he joined in 1998 at the end of a Sky Sports News presenting shift on Monday. He also presented The Football Show – a look back at the weekend's matches and talking points that aired every Monday morning – but the programme has been axed for next season. "It's been an absolute pleasure,' Wotton said. 'I came here in my 20s and I thought I was only coming for a couple of weeks. "And look, they haven't been able to get rid of me. I keep turning up, maybe one day they'll pay me!" Fellow presenters Draper and Taylor are also Sky stalwarts and graduated from production roles to presenting, spending 18 and 11 years respectively at the broadcaster, while well-known reporter Langdon has been at Sky for over 20 years. Senior Football Reporter Reddy was a new recruit three years ago, but has covered most of the biggest stories in the Premier League in that period, particularly involving Liverpool and both Manchester clubs. Sky told staff they were embarking on a redundancy programme at the start of the month and the departures follow a period of consultation. Sky Sports presenter chokes up on final appearance as he leaves after nearly 30 YEARS with much-loved show axed Sky insist the changes are not primarily a cost-cutting measure with a spokesperson saying they are aimed at 'making us more agile and better equipped to serve audiences'. 5 5 5
BBC News
28-05-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Arts University Bournemouth staff in 'despair' over job cuts
Staff at an arts university are "between fury and despair" over major cuts to its workforce, a union has to 93 people are facing redundancy at Arts University Bournemouth (AUB) where 75 full-time equivalent roles are set to be University and College Union (UCU) said up to 19% of "already overworked and under-resourced" staff members could lose their and CEO Lisa Mann said AUB was seeking to "protect the long-term sustainability of the university" amid a fall in student numbers. AUB confirmed it was consulting with UCU and Unison over cuts to academic, technical and professional Mann said: "We deeply regret having to take this step. "Every effort has been made to avoid potential compulsory redundancies, and we recognise the impact this will have on valued colleagues. "However, the scale of the financial challenges we face – particularly in the context of reduced student numbers – means that we must take further action now to protect the long-term sustainability of the university."AUB students, who typically pay more than £9,500 a year in tuition fees, have staged their own branch secretary Ian Dolan said: "I've never seen a mood on campus like this. "Students are furious and staff are caught between fury and despair." Mr Dolan cited Ms Mann's six-figure salary. "Staff are keenly aware that those at the top of the institution are at no risk of redundancy," he said. However, a university spokesperson said one person in the senior leadership team had been made redundant in February, while Ms Mann's previous role had not been filled and two roles had been consolidated, saving £244,400 a Mann took on the role of vice-chancellor in January and AUB figures show her £165,000 remuneration is significantly lower than her predecessor's £275,443 salary and pension finance and operating officer Mehjabeen Patrick said: "The university has already taken significant steps to reduce costs across the institution, but the current financial pressures we face are unprecedented."AUB employs 502 permanent staff. You can follow BBC Dorset on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
