180 laid-off staff launch legal claim

Workers laid off by a firm who went bust after a row over stockpiling clinical waste are suing for lost wages.

Hundreds of employees lost their jobs after Healthcare Environmental Services (HES) ceased trading in December.

Thompsons Solicitors said they were launching employment tribunal proceedings on behalf of more than 180 former staff, some of whom say they are owed five months’ pay.

MSPs were told in January of a backlog of between 250 and 300 tons of clinical waste and 10 tons of anatomical waste at HES sites in Dundee and Shotts.

HES has previously denied claims human body parts were among waste BY LUCINDA CAMERON stockpiled at its sites but Environment Agency reports said the firm stored remains of NHS patients in unrefrigerated units for more than six months.

Thompsons partner David Martyn said: “The former employees of HES have now waited three months for their former employer to pay them the wages, notice pay and holiday pay they are owed.

“Some employees have had to resort to food banks to support their families.”

He added: “The issue is further complicated by the fact employees can’t access support from the Insolvency Service.

“This is due to stockpiles of clinical waste, which are preventing the normal insolvency procedures from taking place.”

On Thursday afternoon, workers staged a protest outside HES premises in Shotts, Lanarkshire, calling for their wages to be paid.

Elizabeth Mellon, who worked at HES for 11 months, said she is owed around £3100. She added: “I hope HES will see that we’re still angry and upset.”

Scottish Labour leader Richard Leonard, who attended the protest, said: “It’s a question of a fair day’s pay for a fair day’s work but it’s also a question of justice.”

The UK Government Insolvency Service said HES had not “put itself into insolvency so, under law, the workers cannot claim for wages owed, notice pay or holiday pay at this time”.