Mattie McGrath condemns Rehab refusal to pay redundancy
Mattie McGrath criticised Rehab for refusing to pay redundancy to around 50 staff and called for government accountability. He argued the treatment of long-serving staff who support people with disabilities was unacceptable and demanded those responsible be held to account.
Allegations of unpaid redundancy
McGrath said Rehab refused to pay statutory redundancy to around 50 staff, describing the organisation's conduct as unacceptable for people who had given long and sterling service to those with special disabilities.
Numbers affected and union membership
He outlined that up to 40 of those affected had been SIPTU members while about 10 were not part of any trade union, stressing the obligation on employers to meet redundancy statute when people lose their jobs.
Calls for government scrutiny
McGrath insisted Rehab, which he said has availed of public support over decades, must be brought to book by the government or held to account by public accounts or another oversight body following what he called a stubborn refusal by the organisation.
Labour Courts and industrial relations response
He noted the Labour Courts have been involved in the matter. In response, the minister said redundancy issues are governed by contract law and established industrial relations mechanisms and that it is not for government to intervene directly, pointing to the existing legal and industrial frameworks.
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of the refusal by rehab to pay redundancy to around 50 staff. All of us that employ people are obliged to look after people by redundancy, statute of redundancy, when people lose their jobs. There's up to 40 SIPTU former members and there's another 10 there wasn't a part of any trade union. I understand the Labour Courts have been involved and rehab avail of public support over the decades. We all supported them, but this is no way to behave with people who give long and sterling service to people with special disabilities as well. And to be treated like this and just told to hump off a stubborn refusal by rehab. They must be brought to book by the government here or held to account by public accounts or somebody else. We saw issues in the past and they were quite shocking, but this is another new law to treat the staff like this that won't give them the stature redundancy that they're untitled. While it's not commenting on the individual case, obviously issues regarding redundancy are set out through both contract law and also, as you referenced, the industrial relations mechanism that is in place. It's not for government to intervene here, but there are clear industrial relations mechanisms in place.
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