Insolvent construction company releases 19 employees
The crisis in the Luxembourg construction industry continues to demand its victims. The company M2T Sàrl in Schifflingen had to close its doors. A court hearing will take place next week in which the company is to be declared insolvent.
The company’s 19 employees, all of the Portuguese, became unemployed – « with the still outstanding March wages », such as the two employees Márcio Oliveira and Luís Pedro Alves, who were faced with other colleagues on Friday in front of the headquarters in Schifflingen Contacto explained. « We also have backward annual premiums for 2023 and 2024 that were not paid, » they said.
Luís Pedro Alves has filed a lawsuit against the company M2T for unpaid annual premiums and Márcio Oliveira will do the same.
Important judicial decision on April 16
« The decision in my case will be announced on April 22, » said Luís Pedro Alves and explained that he had contacted the LCGB union to receive a free legal representation. Márcio Oliveira receives the same legal support, although he adds that his case is « later and has not yet been submitted to the court ».
Insolven should continue to increase in 2025
Another important judicial decision will be made on Wednesday, April 16: the court ruling with which M2T GmbH is declared insolvent.
We were told that the company no longer has any money to pay us the March’s salaries.
Márcio Oliveira
The letter of discharge
Márcio Oliveira recalls the situation of the company since January. He adds: « The salary for February was already paid too late, we only received it on March 18th. And that is still not paid for March, we will probably not receive it. We have been told that the company is bankrupt and has no more money to pay us the March. »
The two Portuguese stood in front of the company headquarters with four other colleagues and waited for them to be presented to their letter of termination. On Friday morning, they finally received the document.
« Since April 4 or seven of us, six or seven of us have been around the door at 8 a.m., stayed until 4 p.m. and made their full working hours. As long as we do not receive the discharge letter, we will not move away, » said Luís Pedro on Friday morning.
« The employees can only stop going to work with a letter of dismissal. If they do not appear for three days without having this document, they can be released for a valid reason, » Liliana Bento, deputy secretary of union of the LCGB in the construction sector, told contacto.
« The rest of the workers also appeared on the two construction sites on which they worked, » added the trade unionist, who supports the 19 employees of the company throughout the process to guarantee all rights that they can claim and help them find a new job « .
« We are desperate »
Luís Pedro Alves, 42, and Márcio Oliveira, 45, began working in the company on the same day in May 2022, « almost three years ago ».
« Our situation and all of our colleagues are complicated. We are desperate. I have three children and now we will have to get along with my wife’s only salary, » said Márcio Oliveira. Luís Pedro Alves, father of two children, has the same fears.
« We have to look for a new work now, but the market is unstable and insecure. It could be difficult to find a new job, » he sighs.
Since you have already received your discharge letter, you can start looking for a new job. « We still have to wait for everything to be clarified before we can start working somewhere else, but we will already look for alternatives. We have to work, » emphasizes Luís Pedro Alves.
We now have to look for a new work, but the market is unstable and insecure.
Luís Pedro Alves
One of the company’s responsible persons who asked not to be mentioned by name also admitted to Contacto that the « situation is very difficult for everyone ». « The case is already in court and bankruptcy is explained on April 16. I feel bad – for the workers who have families and need the money, but I can no longer do, we can no longer do, » he complained. « The past two years have been very difficult, » he adds.
Luxembourg economy is recovering despite crises
In his opinion, the crisis in the construction industry is « one of the main factors » that led to closing the company founded four years ago. « I am a partner, but also an employee of the company and of course I did not expect that I would get into this situation. Whoever founds a company and calculates that one day? » He concluded.
The article appeared in the original at contacto; Translation/editing: IZ.
