I’m still waiting for the pay that I deserve

Ex-pub worker Irene hits out over unpaid wages

Jack Thomson Local Democracy Reporter

A Ferguslie Park woman hasn’t been paid by her former employer – three months after winning a tribunal.

Irene McDonald was successful in a claim against Hamishes’ Hoose in August but is still waiting on a payout of £716.10 from the business.

The 50- year- old, who worked as a kitchen porter at the pub, claimed there were two weeks in April where she had been left short by a new owner.

Ms McDonald said: “When he took it over, I wasn’t paid so I kept asking and asking.

“He put one payment into my bank account but never paid the rest of it.

“He took over in April and didn’t pay me so I left at the end of the month.

“We were paid weekly and he had refused to give me my P45.”

Irene then said she had issues receiving benefits because without a P45 she couldn’t prove she was no longer an employee at Hamishes’ Hoose.

However, Paisley and Renfrewshire South MP Mhairi Black and her team were able to step in and get her benefits reinstated.

Ms McDonald added: “My family and friends helped out with food but I just broke down.

“The benefits are sorted out now but it still hurts. Mhairi Black and her team were great with that.

“What we’ve been put through, no one should have to go through that.”

Hamishes’ Hoose has been told to cough up £ 223 in wages, £ 141 in damages, £243 in holiday entitlement and £ 81.16 in court expenses to Ms McDonald. Ms McDonald said: “It’s about £700. “It’s not a lot of money but it’s a lot of money to me. It’s what I’m owed.”

Alan Maxwell took over the pub in April and kept on the staff from the previous owner.

He claimed he received a P45 for every employee other than Ms McDonald.

Mr Maxwell said: “I never received a P45 for her. I have never issued a P45 because I couldn’t, so I couldn’t enter her on the payroll.”

The businessman said he couldn’t issue a P46 because he didn’t have Ms McDonald’s national insurance number.

He then added: “She walked out on April 30. She was owed three weeks wages, five hours, four hours and 19 hours. I transferred one of the week’s into her account.

“The reason I have not paid it (the tribunal order) is because they have said I owed her holiday money from January 1. How is that possible when I took over in April? I started a new business.

“The hearing was scheduled for September 20. Around September 8 or 9, ACAS (Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Services) phoned me and said the tribunal had already been done and settled.

“I never received anything from the tribunal to say it had been settled.”