Workers at the Moviflor furniture store in Olhão have not been paid properly since August and some families are facing dire straights with bills unpaid and a bleak Christmas to look forward to.
The workers’ union, CESP, said today that "workers are worried about the viability of the company that continues to employ them but is unable to pay their salary arrears. There are many families experiencing difficulties without money to buy food or pay for kindergartens for their children, but they continue scrupulously to fulfill their work schedules," said Maria José Madeira, leader of the union in the Algarve.
The union rep said also that there are "cases of families and single mothers who have no other sources of income."
The union leader said that the company had applied for a Special Revitalisation Process Revitalization (PER) but criticized the company’s sibmission as having inaccurate information and too many ‘ifs.’
"The company’s management sent a memo to employees saying that the judge already has accepted the PER, which in principle will give the company the time to resolve outstanding cases, but the fact is that the workers are tired of promises" said Madeira adding that there has been a history of broken promises over wage arrears, but "so far the company has only paid 10% of the August salary bill and have not paid compensation to workers whose contracts were ended due to the fire at the Portimão retail park."
Members of the parliamentary group of the PCP had a question in parliament questioning "the dramatic situation experienced by these workers and the despair of those who have several months of unpaid wages."
The PCP want the government to report on the results of an inspection by the Authority for Working Conditions held the in June. The government confirms that Moviflor applied for a PER, but this does not seem to have helped the wage earners.
With the negative publicity surrounding the viability of the store, and the planned opening of an IKEA outlet opening on the Loulé-Faro border, the company needs to come clean, involve the workforce and regain its market share based on local knowledge and service.
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