Wagamama UK makes pay offer

Wagamama workers left thousands of dollars out of pocket are going to get some of the money.

The workers were owed wages, holiday pay and bonuses when the Asian-fusion restaurant closed in July. But the franchise owner in the United Kingdom has offered Kiwi employees a one-off payment.

The general manager of the Wellington restaurant, Soraya Edwards, said she was really happy staff would get some of what they were owed.

‘‘They have decided to give us a payment, as a kind gesture, a gift because they are not obligated to,’’ Edwards said.

Several staff emailed the franchise owners in the UK to outline the impact of the lost wages. The company responded by offering $30,000 to cover the missing wages and holiday pay.

Edwards said this was a positive outcome for the 23 employees who had lost thousands when the franchise closed down.

Wagamama had a restaurant in Wellington and three in Auckland before going into receivership in July.

While the Newmarket, Sylvia Park and New Lynn stores closed, the Wellington store initially rebranded to Mama Noodle House.

The Wellington restaurant closed its doors less than a month after the rebranding.

Workers were given little notice about the closure.

‘‘We rebranded the whole restaurant then, boom, redundancy came out of nowhere,’’ Edwards said. ‘‘My boss gave me a text and that was it.’’ Edwards said hospitality workers needed to work together to try to strengthen their position after sudden closures.

While the payout was a positive outcome, there needed to be more transparency over the liquidation process so that workers could position themselves to claw back some of what they were owed, she said.

‘‘I just wish the Government would put something in place, better resources in place, so we can find the information easily and feel better supported,’’ she said.

‘‘Also, wage theft needs to be a criminal offence. ‘‘I just can’t understand why it is not. It is bizarre. Everything is set up in favour of the business owner and we are just left standing with empty wallets and little hope.’’