Sit-in workers take employer to tribunal

Fineline Cymru ceased trading in 2002

A group of women who staged a sit-in at a Rhyl sewing factory in a row over pay are taking their employer to an industrial tribunal.

Fineline Cymru went into liquidation in November last year - the 35 workers claimed they were left without redundancy pay, holiday pay and back wages.

We believe those made redundant were unfairly dismissed

Eileen Turnbull, GMB union

Just two weeks after closing the factory, owner John Potter reopened the swimwear factory and began trading under the name Cherub UK.

Lawyers for the GMB union, which represents the former employers, are going to an employment tribunal to claim against Mr Potter and ask for money relating to loss of earnings.

Eileen Turnbull from the GMB union said staff should have been able to claim redundancy or compensation from Mr Potter's newly formed company.

"We believe those made redundant were unfairly dismissed," she said.

"When Fineline closed and Mr Potter opened Cherub UK, all of the contracts of employment should have been transferred over to the new firm," she argued.

New employment

Ms Turnbull explained the workers were putting in two different types of claim - one for wages they are owed and one against John Potter directly.

Ms Turnbull said the women have now received some redundancy money from a Government fund.

She added that around 50% of the workforce have found employment elsewhere.

The woman protested for six days

Fineline Cymru is now in the hands of insolvency firm B&C Associates in London.

Spokeswoman Phillipa Connor said the company is in liquidation and it has ceased trading.

"The employee matter is the big issue, but there is no money," she said.

She added it was not automatically wrong for a director like John Potter to close one company and open another.

"In many circumstances there are no problems with a director starting up a new company.

"The company is being taken to employment tribunal - I won't attend, I won't argue against the matter.

"If there's any decision to be made, it almost certainly will be made in the unions favour," she added.

No date has been set for the employment tribunal.

Mr Potter was unavailable for comment.