Pic: Jim Campbell
Drivers and staff staged a sit-in in the premises of Target on Wednesday night. Pictured are John O’Reilly, Cormac McManus, Michael Murphy, Liam O’Keeffe, David Mackey, Keith Power, James Monagan.

2:42 p.m.

The fifteen workers operating out of the Wexford depot of Target Express have stated that they will not move from the building until they are paid the money that is owed to them.

The courier company has been described as “hopelessly insolvent” by liquidators and is to cease its operations, with the loss of 390 jobs across the country.

Two members of Grant-Thornton met with the workers this morning and spoke to them, telling them that they would get their wages but that it would be at least four months before this would happen.

Speaking to The Echo, late on Wednesday night, regional manager Cormac McManus said: “The reason we’re here is for our basic rights. We want our wages and redundancy that we’re entitled to. We don’t want to cause trouble or anything like that. We just want what we’re due.”

But the workers have said that a four month wait is not good enough and have called on their local politicians to meet with them and see what they can do. So far, Government Chief Whip Paul Kehoe and Sinn Fein Councillor Johnny Mythen have visited the depot.

“We’re not leaving the premises until we get something official, either from government or the company, to say when we are going to get paid what we’re owed,” said Cormac.

“If it means sitting here for three months, we will. The liquidator is back in the High Court on September 19. It could take until then for them to give us more information. Hopefully it won’t but at the moment, we’re still here and we’re not leaving.”

12:26 p.m.

The workers had found out that the company was to be wound down on Monday evening at 5 p.m. after putting in a full day of work.

“We were basically told ‘don’t come back tomorrow,’” said Cormac who added that there had been an issue the previous week with fuel cards but the drivers had been told not to worry about that.

The real worry began on Saturday when the wages, which would normally be paid that day, were not in the bank accounts.

“We received a phone call on Monday evening telling us the company was being wound down. It was very impersonal, we couldn’t even be told in person,” said Cormac, who added that the staff felt sorry for their customers, some of whom had stock in the depot that would now not be delivered.

“We are prepared to stay here for as long as it takes to get our basic rights,” said Cormac, adding: “We’re prepared to walk out tomorrow if we’re given what we’re due. That’s not a lot to ask for.”

The liquidator arrived at the depot this morning.