Six Pakistani restaurant workers have been awarded more than £40,000 in compensation after they alleged they were not paid by their Indian restaurant employer for over two months.
The case was described as "a flagrant breach" of the Payment of Wages Act and the Organisation of Working Time Act by Rights Commissioner Mr Colin Walker.
However, the men's employer, Mr Shahid Sultan, told The Irish Times last night that he would appeal the compensation award this morning.
Details of the case were carried in the last edition of Indus- trial Relations News. The six men were employed by Tandoori Nites in Waterford and Tandoori Nites/Tandoori Express in Lucan, Co Dublin.
Ms Anne Brennan, solicitor for the men, told the hearing they all had valid work permits and had been given verbal contracts which provided for free food, accommodation and travel to and from work. The agreed rates of pay ranged from £1,000 to £1,600 a month. Because their employers had not provided any representative at the hearing, Mr Walker said he accepted the employees' statements.
However, Mr Sultan said last night he had missed the hearing because he was abroad and his wife was in hospital.
The Rights Commissioner heard that five of the men had worked from July 8th 2000, to September 15th, without being paid. The four Lucan employees worked seven days a week for 14 hours a day. The Waterford employees worked six days a week for eight hours a day.
Mr Walker made awards ranging from £3,800 to £10,589. However, it is understood these awards have not yet been paid.
Four of the men have had their work permits changed since they left Tandoori Nites and are working in the hotel industry.
Mr Sultan said last night he wanted to pay the wages but he didn't understand where the £40,000 award came from.
The wages had been unpaid for three and a half weeks and not over two months, he said.
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