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Emiliano Mellino @mellino.bsky.social · 1d

But it doesn’t have to be this way. In 2021 Labour’s New Deal For Workers(written by @andymcdonaldmp.bsky.social) included a proposal for directors to be held liable for non-payment of tribunal awards. This didn’t make it into the Employment Rights Bill. www.thebureauinvestigates.com/stories/2025...

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Emiliano Mellino @mellino.bsky.social · 1d

The result is that thousands of people who won cases have not been paid their awards, even after the government intervened on their behalf.

They asked for help to recover awards & settlements totalling more than £46m. Nearly £36m of that has gone unpaid
www.thebureauinvestigates.com/stories/2025...

Thousands of rogue bosses get away with not paying tribunal awards

The government scheme ‘enforcing’ money owed to workers has been unsuccessful in a staggering three-quarters of cases

www.thebureauinvestigates.com

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Emiliano Mellino @mellino.bsky.social · 1d

Citizens advice told us about other tricks companies pull. For example restaurants that transfer the lease to a new company, so when bailiffs arrive they can show the restaurant is no longer owned by the company that was ordered to pay the award.

www.thebureauinvestigates.com/stories/2025...

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Emiliano Mellino @mellino.bsky.social · 1d

Crussh’s directors, including the one who sent that message, have reopened the Crussh Millbank branch under a different name, but it’s a different company,so owes Raf nothing.

Worth noting that this Crussh branch is a popular spot with MPs & journalists
www.thebureauinvestigates.com/stories/2025...

‘Glad you didn’t get a penny’: cafe boss gloats over unpaid tribunal…

www.thebureauinvestigates.com

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Emiliano Mellino @mellino.bsky.social · 1d

Another case: Raf was awarded £30,000 & his employer, Crussh,went into administration. Shortly after a company director messaged him gloating about not having to pay the award

“Glad you didn’t get a penny from your claim as you don’t deserve fck all”
www.thebureauinvestigates.com/stories/2025...

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Emiliano Mellino @mellino.bsky.social · 1d

What’s egregious about this case is that Rosie’s boss flaunts his personal wealth. In YouTube videos he brags about owning a BMW and a Range Rover, and wears a Rolex that costs more than what he owes Rosie. www.instagram.com/reel/DPTOC4A...

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Emiliano Mellino @mellino.bsky.social · 1d

Rosie was awarded £6,000 in unpaid wages, holiday pay & notice pay. But when her boss hired her he set up a separate company & when bailiffs went to collect he said the company had no assets. All the assets are owned by another one of his companies.
www.thebureauinvestigates.com/stories/2025...

Employment tribunals: ‘scandal’ of toothless scheme to punish…

Just 2% of fines given to employers who disobey court orders have actually been paid

www.thebureauinvestigates.com

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Emiliano Mellino @mellino.bsky.social · 1d

This is one of the obstacles workers face when trying to get the money awarded to them by employment tribunals.

Our investigation found that directors shut down companies & open them up again to avoid paying tribunal awards.
@georgemonbiot.bsky.social

www.thebureauinvestigates.com/stories/2025...

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Reposted by Emiliano Mellino

Emiliano Mellino @mellino.bsky.social · 3d

I'm glad the government will not introduce employment tribunal fees, but it's not true that "everyone, no matter their income" can get "access to justice" under the current system.

The barriers are endless & if you overcome them & win, you still might not even get the money you are owed

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Reposted by Emiliano Mellino

rogerj47.bsky.social @rogerj47.bsky.social · 2d

If you haven’t already booked your place, time is running out to register for this important conference looking at the history of Employment Tribunals and their current day effectiveness.

www.history.ac.uk/news-events/...

Industrial/Employment Tribunals - 60 years on

www.history.ac.uk

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Reposted by Emiliano Mellino

Emiliano Mellino @mellino.bsky.social · 5d

"Glad you didn't get a penny from your claim as you don't deserve fck all...go fck yourself"

That's the message a director of Crussh sent to Raf just after it went into administration.Two months earlier a tribunal had ordered Crussh to pay Raf over £30k
www.thebureauinvestigates.com/stories/2025...

‘Glad you didn’t get a penny’: cafe boss gloats over unpaid tribunal…

www.thebureauinvestigates.com

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Emiliano Mellino @mellino.bsky.social · 3d

sure, here it is: www.theguardian.com/money/2025/o...

David Lammy rules out charging workers for employment tribunal claims

Justice secretary says right to challenge unfair work behaviour is core to Labour work plan after union backlash

www.theguardian.com

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Reposted by Emiliano Mellino

Luke Piper @lukepiper.bsky.social · 3d

Climbing down from a position that would make the situation worse back to a place where it is already terrible, is not the flex I think the deputy PM thinks it is.

Emiliano Mellino @mellino.bsky.social · 3d

I'm glad the government will not introduce employment tribunal fees, but it's not true that "everyone, no matter their income" can get "access to justice" under the current system.

The barriers are endless & if you overcome them & win, you still might not even get the money you are owed

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Reposted by Emiliano Mellino

Work Rights Centre @workrights.bsky.social · 4d

🚨We're hiring a Policy Manager

Do you have substantial public affairs experience, a deep understanding of how immigration and employment laws can perpetuate exploitation, and a genuine passion for social justice?

Yes? ➡️ Apply now!
No? ➡️Send to a friend 😉

www.workrightscentre.org/publications...

We’re recruiting a Policy Manager | Work Rights Centre

www.workrightscentre.org

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Emiliano Mellino @mellino.bsky.social · 3d

You can read Nadine's story here:
www.thebureauinvestigates.com/stories/2025...

Raf's story is here:
www.thebureauinvestigates.com/stories/2025...

And Rosie's story is here:
www.thebureauinvestigates.com/stories/2025...

Thousands of rogue bosses get away with not paying tribunal awards

The government scheme ‘enforcing’ money owed to workers has been unsuccessful in a staggering three-quarters of cases

www.thebureauinvestigates.com

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Emiliano Mellino @mellino.bsky.social · 3d

Nadine and Raf sacrificed their mental health, time (it took them more than a year) and money to get a semblance of justice. In the end the tribunal ruled that they had been mistreated, but because of failures in the system they did not get what they were owed.

This is not "access to justice".

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Emiliano Mellino @mellino.bsky.social · 3d

The stress of facing many company witnesses & an experienced barrister led to Raf being diagnosed with anxiety.

"If I can compare the stress to anything I experienced in my life, it was two and a half years ago when my mother was passing away from cancer"

He was awarded £30,000, but was never paid

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Emiliano Mellino @mellino.bsky.social · 3d

Nadine was under so much stress from preparing her case that her blood pressure spiked & she was referred to hospital.

"I couldn’t leave my bed for two months before the hearing. It was the worst stage of my life"

Finally, the tribunal awarded her £65,000, but she didn't see a penny of this money.

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Emiliano Mellino @mellino.bsky.social · 3d

Last week we revealed how thousands of people who won their employment tribunal claims did not get paid the money awarded by the tribunal.

Some described going through the tribunal system without legal advice as the worst thing they ever experienced.
www.thebureauinvestigates.com/stories/2025...

Thousands of rogue bosses get away with not paying tribunal awards

The government scheme ‘enforcing’ money owed to workers has been unsuccessful in a staggering three-quarters of cases

www.thebureauinvestigates.com

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Emiliano Mellino @mellino.bsky.social · 3d

I'm glad the government will not introduce employment tribunal fees, but it's not true that "everyone, no matter their income" can get "access to justice" under the current system.

The barriers are endless & if you overcome them & win, you still might not even get the money you are owed

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Reposted by Emiliano Mellino

UNI Global Union @uniglobalunion.org · 4d

Wage theft is theft. Governments must stop impunity for these corporate criminals.

Emiliano Mellino @mellino.bsky.social · 5d

"Glad you didn't get a penny from your claim as you don't deserve fck all...go fck yourself"

That's the message a director of Crussh sent to Raf just after it went into administration.Two months earlier a tribunal had ordered Crussh to pay Raf over £30k
www.thebureauinvestigates.com/stories/2025...

‘Glad you didn’t get a penny’: cafe boss gloats over unpaid tribunal…

www.thebureauinvestigates.com

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Reposted by Emiliano Mellino

Raluca Terry-Enescu @ralucahippie.bsky.social · 5d

This is a huge problem that @workrights.bsky.social have documented in the past.

Crook opens company, treats workers like 💩, shafts contractors of pay - and then when sued declares insolvency, liquidates the company, starts it again under a new name - and good luck recovering your compensation.

Emiliano Mellino @mellino.bsky.social · 5d

"Glad you didn't get a penny from your claim as you don't deserve fck all...go fck yourself"

That's the message a director of Crussh sent to Raf just after it went into administration.Two months earlier a tribunal had ordered Crussh to pay Raf over £30k
www.thebureauinvestigates.com/stories/2025...

‘Glad you didn’t get a penny’: cafe boss gloats over unpaid tribunal…

www.thebureauinvestigates.com

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Reposted by Emiliano Mellino

Declassified UK @declassifieduk.org · 5d

🚨Leaked Israeli documents reveal the British army’s 77th brigade held secret exchanges with the IDF.

The 77th brigade specialises in psychological operations including online propaganda activities.
www.declassifieduk.org/uk-psycholog...

UK psychological warfare unit collaborated with Israeli army

Exclusive: The British army’s 77th brigade held secret exchanges with the IDF, leaked files reveal.

www.declassifieduk.org

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Reposted by Emiliano Mellino

Dave Andress @davidandress.bsky.social · 5d

People should be in prison for this, but instead they’re driving around in fancy cars, starting new companies, shitting on workers all over again…

Emiliano Mellino @mellino.bsky.social · 5d

Here's the second part, where we show that less than 1% of fines (by value) issued for non-payment of tribunal awards are actually paid.
www.thebureauinvestigates.com/stories/2025...

Employment tribunals: ‘scandal’ of toothless scheme to punish…

Just 2% of fines given to employers who disobey court orders have actually been paid

www.thebureauinvestigates.com

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Emiliano Mellino @mellino.bsky.social · 5d

There are really no consequences for bosses. In the first piece we wrote in this series, we mentioned how back in 2021 Labour's "New Deal for Workers" included a provision for company directors to be liable for non-payment of tribunal awards. Obvs that didn't make it into the Employment Rights Bill.

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