Up to 150 staff at NI bookmakers face being laid off without pay due to suspension of sporting fixtures

With offices across Northern Ireland, including three in Portadown, expected to close this evening due to the Coronavirus pandemic, concern has been raised about the future of staff.

Unite the Union is speaking with management of SP Graham in a bid to help workers navigate ‘bureaucratic hurdles’ during the virus crisis.

Unite Regional Officer, Sean Smyth, called on the NI Executive to extend business supports to the gambling sector after SP Graham management informed their workforce that they would be laid-off without pay from today due to the Coronavirus crisis.

“The suspension of sporting fixtures globally in the face of the Coronavirus threat has dramatically impacted bookies across Northern Ireland. This morning SP Graham’s, where Unite represents the majority of the workforce of 150, wrote to their employees to tell them that they were no longer able to provide employment due to a severe cash-flow crisis. The workforce face the prospect of temporary unpaid lay-off, with no resumption date as of now, at the close of business today.

“We have engaged with management and they have assured us that they will pay out all accrued wages and this includes pay to date on April 2nd.

“SP Graham’s cannot access the support that has been provided to hospitality businesses and has too many outlets to be eligible for the funding offered to small businesses. As such, it is falling through the cracks of the emergency package offered by Stormont and the consequences are that their employees face the prospect of being thrown onto the dole queues at a time of crisis and uncertainty. Stormont has two weeks to get payments sorted for these workers.

“This is completely unacceptable especially when you compare the supports that are available to workers just ninety miles down the road in the Republic, which include immediate access to a weekly payment of 200 euro a worker. Like many other employers at this time, SP Grahams are engaging positively with Unite to charter a way forward and they have committed to us that 100 percent of any monies received from government will go to the workforce.

“The needs of workers in this sector must be recognised by the Northern Ireland Executive – that means urgent action to support them in this time of crisis. The Executive must also address the bureaucracy that is making it difficult for businesses to access help – with dire consequences for the workers they employ”, Mr Smyth said.

A spokesperson for SP Graham said: “This is an unprecedented situation and we have very reluctantly taken this decision, due to a combination of factors. The key issues are the potential impact of the coronavirus on the health of our colleagues, our customers and the communities in which we are located and the financial viability of a cash dependent business under these circumstances. The closure which will last at least until the 29th March and likely beyond will result in many of our colleagues being temporarily laid off.”

“Despite pledges from the UK Government and the Northern Ireland Executive around financial support measures for businesses and employees, the details and procedures have not been published and there is no clarity over the timescale involved in accessing these funds. The most effective way to do this is via Payroll Intervention, as used by the other governments.”

“Our pledge, is that any such funds accessed will exclusively go to our staff impacted during the temporary closure period. We understand and share the frustration of our colleagues at this time”.

“We know from our colleagues and that they are having difficulty accessing information around welfare support and potential access to benefits. We urge the UK Government and NI Executive to step up and speed up support measures for affected employees like ours and thousands of others across Northern Ireland.”