Unite has announced its intention to bring an employment tribunal claim on behalf of 1,800 Monarch workers, after the airline went into administration last week.
The union, which represents engineers and cabin crew, is lodging proceedings over a failure to consult with staff on redundancies.
Under UK law, employers with more than 100 employees must give a statutory minimum 45 days’ notice of their intention to make people redundant. Those with two years’ service or more are entitled to statutory redundancy pay.
‘Through no fault of their own, former Monarch workers are out of pocket and out of a job,’ said Unite national officer Oliver Richardson. ‘The manner in which Monarch went into administration and the way the government allowed it happen means there is a strong claim for compensation by former Monarch workers.’
The British Airline Pilots’ Association (BALPA) has also announced its intention to seek compensation on behalf of its members, and criticised the ‘shabby’ treatment of staff since Monarch went into administration.
The BALPA revealed that pilots who were unable to personally attend meetings about the redundancies were asked to join a telephone conference on a premium rate 0844 number. The call lasted for more than an hour and the Association claims that it cost some pilots almost £40.
‘This is unbelievably cold-hearted and I’m asking the administrators – KPMG – to rectify this by giving each of those staff members affected £100 to reimburse them and as a show of good faith. I think an apology is also in order,’ said BALPA General Secretary, Brian Strutton. ‘BALPA can confirm that we will also be seeking compensation for the shabby way our members were notified of their company’s demise and their own sacking.’
