The Tribune

By NATARIO McKENZIE

Tribune Business Reporter

nmckenzie@tribunemedia.net

THE Department of Labour was yesterday "aggressively" addressing a labour dispute involving 13 employees of St Luke's Diagnostic Medical Laboratory who have been made redundant.

Robert Farquharson, director of labour, told Tribune Business: "That is matter we are actively addressing.

"There are about 13 employees who have filed trade disputes. They claim that the company is in breach of Section 28 of the Employment Act, meaning that they were made redundant but did not receive redundancy at the time of their redundancy.

"We expect to have that matter heard in the conciliation process within the next 10-14 days."

Mr Farquharson explained that the Department of Labour will summon the employer with the intention of mediating the matter. "Redundancy payments should be made at the time of redundancy," he added.

"We want to find out what these employees are owed and when they will be paid." Mr Farquharson said that depending on the outcome of the conciliation process, the matter could be forwarded to either the Industrial Tribunal or the Supreme Court.

Former St Luke's employees told ZNS earlier this week that they received letters late last year on the facility's impending closure, as it was said to no longer be financially viable. The medical laboratory closed on Friday, with the employees saying they were informed that severance monies will be paid once the building is sold.