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Reposted by Emiliano Mellino

Emiliano Mellino @mellino.bsky.social · 1d

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

Emiliano Mellino @mellino.bsky.social · 3d

"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 · 1d

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 · 1d

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 · 1d

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 · 2d

🚨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 · 1d

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 · 1d

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 · 1d

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 · 1d

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 · 1d

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 · 1d

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 · 2d

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

Emiliano Mellino @mellino.bsky.social · 3d

"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 · 3d

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 · 3d

"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 · 3d

🚨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 · 3d

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 · 3d

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 · 3d

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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Emiliano Mellino @mellino.bsky.social · 3d

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 · 3d

As we revealed in the first part of our investigation, thousands of people who were awarded money at employment tribunals have never been paid

What Raf's case shows is that it's happening right under MPs' & journalists' noses, in their favourite cafes
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

This Crussh Millbank branch (now named Artisan Fork) is popular with journalists and politicians, so much so that when it originally closed @politico.eu's London Playbook wrote about it.

A former Tory leadership contender even announced his campaign launch on its doorsteps.

Screengrab from Politico website which reads: "CRUSSHING NEWS: The Crussh branch at 4 Millbank — a popular political coffee spot — has closed, alongside other Crussh outlets across London. Pic here from the Speccie’s James Heale."

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Emiliano Mellino @mellino.bsky.social · 3d

Like Crussh's director suggested in this message, by going into administration, the company wouldn't have to pay the tribunal award.

But as this is all going on, the same group of directors reopen Crussh's Millbank branch under a new name: Artisan Fork.
www.thebureauinvestigates.com/stories/2025...

Whatsapp message from company director which says: "“Glad you didn’t get a penny from your claim as you don’t deserve fck all. I don’t appreciate the comments made about me in your statement and I wish you had the balls of a real man to say it to my face which you are not.
However being a 2 faced prick is a full time job which you have mastered. So go fck yourself.”

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Emiliano Mellino @mellino.bsky.social · 3d

"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 · 4d

If you want to know more about the thousands of employers who have not paid tribunal awards and the government's apparent innaction in the face of this scandal, you can read about it 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 · 4d

Thanks @jim.londoncentric.media for citing our investigation into the thousands of companies that ignore employment tribunal judgments.

As it happenned one of the people we covered was Preston Benson, which @londoncentric.media did a deep-dive on days earlier
www.londoncentric.media/p/preston-be...

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Reposted by Emiliano Mellino

Emiliano Mellino @mellino.bsky.social · 4d

In 2016 the UK government introduced a scheme to encourage employers to pay employment tribunal awards by threatening them with a fine if they didn't pay.

But of the £9.6million pounds in fines issued, only £95,000 has been paid - less than 1%.
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 · 4d

That's very kind! I always see these things as a collaborative effort between the reporter, the affected people and other sources. As they say, it takes a village.

With the bill there's an opportunity to affect change around these issues, but it will also require us all keeping this on the agenda.

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