GALWAY BUILDERS HIT BACK AT CLAIMS OF UNFAIR TREATMENT OF FOREIGN WORKERS

Date Published: 05-Jan-2009

Builders have hit back at claims that Polish people are being badly treated in Galway.Construction Industry Federation chief Tom Parlon says that comments made last week by Galway SIPTU official Michael Kilcoyne were 'grossly innacurate'.In a statement last week, Mr Kilcoyne said that "our International reputation was being sullied by the mistreatment of polish workers" on building sites in Galway.He also referred to 14 cases in Galway where awards had been made by the Labour Relations Commission against employers and in favour of foreign workers who had been denied due wages and holiday pay. In today's Irish Times however, Director general of the CIF Mr Parlon, accuses Mr Kilcoyne of making "sweeping, innacurate and hugely damaging statements".