THE NUMBER of former National Conservation Commission (NCC) workers pursuing an unfair dismissal class action suit at the Employment Rights Tribunal will remain at 96, chairman Hal Gollop ruled yesterday.
He announced that any person who wanted to withdraw from the suit would have to inform the tribunal in writing.
The announcement was made after attorney for the claimants, Pat Cheltenham, QC, withdrew the submission he made on Wednesday, the first day of the hearing, when he asked the tribunal to strike 42 names from the list because they had pursued settlements otherwise.
However, when the hearing resumed yesterday, Cheltenham spent several minutes dissecting the list, which had risen to 46 names, and he told the tribunal that even though the others had settled with the NCC, the Employment Rights Act stipulated that “if you receive any payment it is simply taken into account in the final calculation”.
Checking the list: Chairman Hal Gollop (centre) checking the list of names of people who supposedly withdrew their lawsuit with commissioner Beverly Beckles while commissioner Ed Bushell refers to his tablet. (Pictures by Maria Bradshaw.)
Please read the full story in today’s Weekend Nation, or in the eNATION edition.
