Cork Debenhams workers face another payment delay after fresh appeal by liquidators

A former shop steward for almost 300 workers in the Cork branches of Debenhams has said a new appeal by the liquidators for the firm will further delay an already-reduced redundancy payment.

This payment is for the mostly part-time workers at the department store chain, which closed its Irish branches in March 2020, the shop steward added.

According to Valerie Conlan, who was a part-time worker at the Patrick St store in Cork, the news that liquidator KPMG was appealing the decision of the Labour Court — which awarded four weeks’ pay to the workers on a “point of law” — was just the latest in a series of delays for 800 workers around the country.

Workers had initially asked for 16 weeks’ pay. Last year, they had been awarded eight weeks’ pay by the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC).

This was appealed by KPMG, and was reduced to four weeks’ pay by the Labour Court in April. When that decision was handed down, the workers had said they hoped that this would mean closure for the four-year saga.

However, an email from the Mandate Trade Union — which represents most of the workers — this week said that KPMG was embarking on a further appeal.

Ms Conlan said that the news was disappointing. “It has to be costing them more money at this stage to pay their law firms than they have to pay out,” she said.

Dáil

The issue is likely to be raised in the Dáil today by Cork North Central Sinn Féin TD Thomas Gould, who said that he had joined the Debenhams workers on the picket line when the store was closed.

“I cannot believe that we are back here again, with further delays to payments for Debenhams workers.

“These workers showed real bravery and stood on the picket line for months on end, they must be shown respect,"

said Mr Gould.

'Ugly twist'

Mr Gould’s constituency colleague Mick Barry, of Solidarity/People Before Profit, described the latest development as an “ugly twist”, and added that the latest appeal could take a further year to be processed through the courts.

“The ex-Debenhams workers were treated very badly, both by their former employer and by the State,” he said.

“It took them four years of struggle to win the paltry award made to them in the Labour Court last month.

“For a wealthy corporate entity like KPMG to challenge the ruling that made that award and potentially drag things out for another year represents, in my eyes, an act of unnecessary cruelty.”

It was not possible to contact the liquidators for comment on this latest development.