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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.
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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