Mr S Cambridge and others v Unipart Automotive Ltd (In Administration) and Secretary of State for Business Energy and Industrial Strategy: 1305629/2014
JUDGMENT
[1]Upon there being no attendance by any party and upon consideration of the Second Respondent’s written submissions, no order is made pursuant to Rule 37 of the Employment Tribunal Rules of Procedure 2013.[2]Upon the First Respondent being dissolved on 24 October 2017 this claim will be stayed until 22 June for the Claimants to consider their position. Case Number 1305629/2014 & Others (schedule attached) 2REASONS
[1]This is a claim that has had a lengthy gestation period since it was lodged on 22 November 2014. There are 147 Claimants but the Tribunal has corresponded with Mr Cambridge on behalf of them.[2]There are a number of reasons why this claim has remained unresolved for some time but it is not necessary to go into those in detail at this time.[3]The First Respondent went into administration in July 2014 and well over 1,000 staff were made redundant either then or shortly thereafter across a substantial number of sites across Great Britain. Some of them have applied to this Tribunal for a range of claims. It is clear that some of those claims have been paid out by the Second Respondent in their role as statutory guarantor and it has to be said that the Second Respondent’s conduct in these proceedings has been consistently helpful and effective. I am grateful to the Second Respondent for their written representations which are clear, focussed and concise.[4]At one stage all the claims had been struck out because the claims had not been actively pursued. Following a request for reconsideration the claims were reinstated and a directions hearing was set for December.[5]The Tribunal became aware by way of a letter dated 22 September 2017 from the First Respondent that a Notice to Move from Administration to Dissolution had been filed by the Administrators. That Notice was filed on 24 July 2017 and accordingly the Company is due to be dissolved three months after that date. Dissolution is therefore imminent.[6]The Second Respondent wrote a helpful letter dated 28 September 2017 pointing out the consequences of dissolution. It suggested that the Tribunal might wish to consider whether any steps in the action could be taken prior to the dissolution.[7]On 16 October, notice was sent out to all parties, abridging time for service pursuant to Rule 5 of the 2013 ET Rules, notifying them that an open PH would be held today with a time estimate of three hours. The parties were told that as well as dealing with case management, consideration would be given as to whether any of the Respondent’s responses had no reasonable prospect of success and if so whether all or part of them could be struck out. The primary issue was centred around the claim for consultation on a collective redundancy. It was noted that there may be insufficient information to make any order.[8]Nobody has attended today. I would not have expected anybody from the First Respondent and the Second Respondent has already sent in their written representations and indicated that they would not be Case Number 1305629/2014 & Others (schedule attached) 3 attending any hearings. The Claimant’s representative appears to have been e-mailed at his normal e-mail address.[9]The First Respondent has not lodged a Response but I still need to be satisfied that each of the Claims is made out against the First Respondent not least because the Second Respondent who acts as guarantor on some of the Claims has effectively put the Claimants to proof.[10]Today would have been an opportunity for the Claimants to place before me representations / evidence that would have permitted me to come to the conclusion that in the absence of any active representations or positive averral to the contrary on the other side there would have been no reasonable prospect of success on the part of the Respondent. In the absence of those representations I am unable to issue any form of Judgment against the First or Second Respondent.[11]There are many areas where I very much suspect that a certain state of affairs exists but I have no evidence before me so as to find that it did exist. Going through the Second Respondent’s representations, whilst I consider it highly unlikely that there was proper consultation I have no evidence to that effect to make that finding. Whilst I have been told that there was no recognised Trade Union the position about whether or not there was elected representatives or not is not clear which impacts upon whether or not the Claimants are entitled to bring the claims in their own names.[12]Following the case law re “establishment” I would need to be assured that each of the Claimants were in an establishment where there were more than 20 employees. I have been able to go through the list provided and it seems to me at first blush that the only establishments at which there were more than 20 employees were Avonmouth, Birmingham South, Cambridge, Fareham, Head Office BBP, Head Office Bicester, Maidstone and Tottenham. That would need to be confirmed and the whole statutory test would need to be considered and shown to be proven on the balance of probabilities.[13]It is not clear to me which of the Claimants are still claiming arrears of pay, holiday pay or notice pay and so Judgment could not be entered for those claims.[14]In those circumstances I am unable to make any form of Order today striking out any part of the Responses as I do not have the necessary information by which I could do so.[15]Although this Judgment was sent to the Tribunal for promulgation shortly after the hearing it would appear for reasons I am unable to determine it was never sent out to the parties. My original intention was to list this matter for a further Case Management Discussion but I note that the First Respondent was dissolved on 24 October 2017 and a letter will be sent out to the parties detailing the potential next steps Case Number 1305629/2014 & Others (schedule attached) 4 for the Claimants. In the meantime the claim will be stayed for 6 months. Employment Judge Self 22 December 2017 Case Number 1305629/2014 & Others (schedule attached) 5 Schedule of claimants Case Number Claimant 1305629/2014 Mr Stephen Cambridge 1305630/2014 Mr Mark Jiggins 1305631/2014 Mr Andy Scoffield 1305632/2014 Mr Paul Metcalfe 1305633/2014 Mr Alan Brock 1305634/2014 Mr Alastair Lawrence 1305635/2014 Mr Andrew Rugman 1305636/2014 Mr Andrew Taylor 1305637/2014 Mr Andy Sebley 1305638/2014 Ms Annmarie Elvin 1305639/2014 Mr Anthony Burrows 1305640/2014 Mr Anthony Gosden 1305641/2014 Mr Barry Vann 1305642/2014 Ms Beverley Wink 1305643/2014 Mr Bryan Wright 1305644/2014 Ms Carol Bradfield 1305645/2014 Ms Carol Cartwright 1305646/2014 Ms Carol MacDonald 1305647/2014 Ms Carol Vaga 1305648/2014 Ms Caroline Collins 1305649/2014 Ms Cherrie Bennett 1305650/2014 Ms Clair Stallard 1305651/2014 Mr Colin Bate 1305652/2014 Mr Craig Bostock 1305653/2014 Mr Daniel Atherton 1305654/2014 Ms Danielle Grant 1305655/2014 Mr Darren Harper 1305656/2014 Mr Daryl Porter 1305657/2014 Mr David Cawte 1305658/2014 Mr David Dawson 1305659/2014 Mr David Kennedy 1305660/2014 Ms Denise Coombes 1305661/2014 Ms Donna Twist 1305662/2014 Mr Duane Wheeler 1305663/2014 Ms Elizabeth Dickson 1305664/2014 Mr Euan Graham 1305665/2014 Mr Frank Taylor 1305666/2014 Mr Gary Baker 1305667/2014 Mr Gary Griffiths 1305668/2014 Mr Gary Sheehan 1305669/2014 Ms Gayle Brooks 1305670/2014 Mr George Riggs Case Number 1305629/2014 & Others (schedule attached) 6 Case Number Claimant 1305671/2014 Mr Gordon Newton 1305672/2014 Ms Hayley Marshall 1305673/2014 Mr Ian Dyson 1305674/2014 Mr Ian Goacher 1305675/2014 Mr Ian Hasnip 1305676/2014 Mr Ian Shaw 1305677/2014 Mr Ian Stevenson 1305678/2014 Ms Irene Vann 1305679/2014 Ms Jackie Painter 1305680/2014 Mr James Collins 1305681/2014 Mr James Drury 1305682/2014 Mr James Pepper 1305683/2014 Mr Jamie Batchelor 1305684/2014 Mr Jamie Large 1305685/2014 Ms Joanne O'Carroll 1305686/2014 Mr John Dungworth 1305687/2014 Mr John Fox 1305688/2014 Mr John Heseltine 1305689/2014 Mr John McGlone 1305690/2014 Mr Jon Sladen 1305691/2014 Mr Jonathan Rugg 1305692/2014 Ms Julia Stone 1305693/2014 Ms Julie Bourne 1305694/2014 Ms Julie Green 1305695/2014 Ms Julie Hughes 1305696/2014 Ms Julie Smith 1305697/2014 Ms Karen Walton 1305698/2014 Ms Kathleen McBride 1305699/2014 Mr Keith Rayment 1305700/2014 Ms Kelly Hall 1305701/2014 Ms Kelly Jones 1305702/2014 Mr Kevin Gable 1305703/2014 Mr Kevin Hall 1305704/2014 Ms Kim Nash 1305705/2014 Ms Laura Wilson 1305706/2014 Mr Lee Duckworth 1305707/2014 Mr Lee Dunkley 1305708/2014 Ms Lilian Robins 1305709/2014 Ms Linda Juggins 1305710/2014 Ms Lisa Bowman 1305711/2014 Ms Lisa Bulcock 1305712/2014 Ms Lorraine Bugeja Case Number 1305629/2014 & Others (schedule attached) 7 Case Number Claimant 1305713/2014 Ms Lorraine Latham 1305714/2014 Ms Louise Tooke 1305715/2014 Ms Lucy Grimes 1305716/2014 Ms Lynn Wilson 1305717/2014 Ms Mandy Hill 1305718/2014 Mr Marc Jones 1305719/2014 Mr Mark Flower 1305720/2014 Mr Mark McArthur 1305721/2014 Mr Mark McHugh 1305722/2014 Mr Mark Robertson 1305723/2014 Mr Mark Warren 1305724/2014 Mr Mark Davies 1305725/2014 Mr Martin Benson 1305726/2014 Mr Martin Sullivan 1305727/2014 Mr Martyn Yates 1305728/2014 Mr Melvin Diffey 1305729/2014 Mr Mervyn Hampshire 1305730/2014 Mr Michael Flynn 1305731/2014 Ms Michelle Fretwell 1305732/2014 Mr Morgan Merrifield 1305733/2014 Ms Natalie Leahy 1305734/2014 Ms Natasha Hull 1305735/2014 Mr Nicholas Mace 1305736/2014 Ms Nicola Koos 1305737/2014 Ms Nicola Sutton 1305738/2014 Ms Nicola Thorpe 1305739/2014 Ms Nikki Day 1305740/2014 Ms Nikki Summerfield 1305741/2014 Mr Paul Edwards 1305742/2014 Mr Paul Landricombe 1305743/2014 Mr Paul Williams 1305744/2014 Mr Peter Brown 1305745/2014 Mr Peter Cawte 1305746/2014 Mr Phil Neely 1305747/2014 Ms Rachel Williams 1305748/2014 Mr Richard Clay 1305749/2014 Mr Richard Grant 1305750/2014 Mr Richard Littler 1305751/2014 Mr Robert Cann 1305752/2014 Mr Russell Bees 1305753/2014 Ms Samantha Harrison 1305754/2014 Mr Samuel McConnell Case Number 1305629/2014 & Others (schedule attached) 8 Case Number Claimant 1305755/2014 Ms Sarah Biggart 1305756/2014 Ms Sarah Stott 1305757/2014 Ms Sarah Pearson 1305758/2014 Mr Shaun Wilson 1305759/2014 Mr Stephen McAllen 1305760/2014 Mr Stephen Moon 1305761/2014 Mr Stephen Radford 1305762/2014 Mr Stephen Wheeler 1305763/2014 Mr Steve Cambridge 1305764/2014 Mr Steven Cassidy 1305765/2014 Mr Steven Penny 1305766/2014 Mr Stuart Williams 1305767/2014 Ms Tanya Bowman 1305768/2014 Mr Terence McDougall 1305769/2014 Ms Teresa MacKness 1305770/2014 Mr Timothy Sumner 1305771/2014 Ms Tracey Webber 1305772/2014 Ms Tracy Exell 1305773/2014 Ms Trudy Mayfield 1305774/2014 Ms Victoria Blackwell 1305775/2014 Ms Wendy Rowlson Case No:1305629/2014 & Others (schedule attached) 6.2 Strike out Judgment – claim - rule 37 EMPLOYMENT TRIBUNALS Claimant: Mr S Cambridge & Others (schedule attached) Respondent:(1) Unipart Automotive Limited (In Administration)(2) The Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy[1]By a letter dated 22 August 2018 the Tribunal gave the claimant an opportunity to make representations or to request a hearing, as to why the claims should not be struck out because• they have no reasonable prospects of success in light of the first respondent’s dissolution.• they have not been actively pursued.[2]The claimant has failed to make representations in writing, or has failed to make any sufficient representations, why this should not be done or to request a hearing. The claims are therefore struck out. Employment Judge Camp 16 October 2018 Case No:1305629/2014 & Others (schedule attached) 6.2 Strike out Judgment – claim - rule 37 Schedule of claimants Case Number Claimant 1305629/2014 Mr Stephen Cambridge 1305630/2014 Mr Mark Jiggins 1305631/2014 Mr Andy Scoffield 1305632/2014 Mr Paul Metcalfe 1305633/2014 Mr Alan Brock 1305634/2014 Mr Alastair Lawrence 1305635/2014 Mr Andrew Rugman 1305636/2014 Mr Andrew Taylor 1305637/2014 Mr Andy Sebley 1305638/2014 Ms Annmarie Elvin 1305639/2014 Mr Anthony Burrows 1305640/2014 Mr Anthony Gosden 1305641/2014 Mr Barry Vann 1305642/2014 Ms Beverley Wink 1305643/2014 Mr Bryan Wright 1305644/2014 Ms Carol Bradfield 1305645/2014 Ms Carol Cartwright 1305646/2014 Ms Carol MacDonald 1305647/2014 Ms Carol Vaga 1305648/2014 Ms Caroline Collins 1305649/2014 Ms Cherrie Bennett 1305650/2014 Ms Clair Stallard 1305651/2014 Mr Colin Bate 1305652/2014 Mr Craig Bostock 1305653/2014 Mr Daniel Atherton 1305654/2014 Ms Danielle Grant 1305655/2014 Mr Darren Harper 1305656/2014 Mr Daryl Porter 1305657/2014 Mr David Cawte 1305658/2014 Mr David Dawson 1305659/2014 Mr David Kennedy 1305660/2014 Ms Denise Coombes 1305661/2014 Ms Donna Twist 1305662/2014 Mr Duane Wheeler 1305663/2014 Ms Elizabeth Dickson 1305664/2014 Mr Euan Graham 1305665/2014 Mr Frank Taylor 1305666/2014 Mr Gary Baker 1305667/2014 Mr Gary Griffiths 1305668/2014 Mr Gary Sheehan 1305669/2014 Ms Gayle Brooks 1305670/2014 Mr George Riggs 1305671/2014 Mr Gordon Newton 1305672/2014 Ms Hayley Marshall 1305673/2014 Mr Ian Dyson 1305674/2014 Mr Ian Goacher 1305675/2014 Mr Ian Hasnip 1305676/2014 Mr Ian Shaw 1305677/2014 Mr Ian Stevenson 1305678/2014 Ms Irene Vann 1305679/2014 Ms Jackie Painter 1305680/2014 Mr James Collins 1305681/2014 Mr James Drury 1305682/2014 Mr James Pepper 1305683/2014 Mr Jamie Batchelor Case No:1305629/2014 & Others (schedule attached) 6.2 Strike out Judgment – claim - rule 37 1305684/2014 Mr Jamie Large 1305685/2014 Ms Joanne O'Carroll 1305686/2014 Mr John Dungworth 1305687/2014 Mr John Fox 1305688/2014 Mr John Heseltine 1305689/2014 Mr John McGlone 1305690/2014 Mr Jon Sladen 1305691/2014 Mr Jonathan Rugg 1305692/2014 Ms Julia Stone 1305693/2014 Ms Julie Bourne 1305694/2014 Ms Julie Green 1305695/2014 Ms Julie Hughes 1305696/2014 Ms Julie Smith 1305697/2014 Ms Karen Walton 1305698/2014 Ms Kathleen McBride 1305699/2014 Mr Keith Rayment 1305700/2014 Ms Kelly Hall 1305701/2014 Ms Kelly Jones 1305702/2014 Mr Kevin Gable 1305703/2014 Mr Kevin Hall 1305704/2014 Ms Kim Nash 1305705/2014 Ms Laura Wilson 1305706/2014 Mr Lee Duckworth 1305707/2014 Mr Lee Dunkley 1305708/2014 Ms Lilian Robins 1305709/2014 Ms Linda Juggins 1305710/2014 Ms Lisa Bowman 1305711/2014 Ms Lisa Bulcock 1305712/2014 Ms Lorraine Bugeja 1305713/2014 Ms Lorraine Latham 1305714/2014 Ms Louise Tooke 1305715/2014 Ms Lucy Grimes 1305716/2014 Ms Lynn Wilson 1305717/2014 Ms Mandy Hill 1305718/2014 Mr Marc Jones 1305719/2014 Mr Mark Flower 1305720/2014 Mr Mark McArthur 1305721/2014 Mr Mark McHugh 1305722/2014 Mr Mark Robertson 1305723/2014 Mr Mark Warren 1305724/2014 Mr Mark Davies 1305725/2014 Mr Martin Benson 1305726/2014 Mr Martin Sullivan 1305727/2014 Mr Martyn Yates 1305728/2014 Mr Melvin Diffey 1305729/2014 Mr Mervyn Hampshire 1305730/2014 Mr Michael Flynn 1305731/2014 Ms Michelle Fretwell 1305732/2014 Mr Morgan Merrifield 1305733/2014 Ms Natalie Leahy 1305734/2014 Ms Natasha Hull 1305735/2014 Mr Nicholas Mace 1305736/2014 Ms Nicola Koos 1305737/2014 Ms Nicola Sutton 1305738/2014 Ms Nicola Thorpe 1305739/2014 Ms Nikki Day Case No:1305629/2014 & Others (schedule attached) 6.2 Strike out Judgment – claim - rule 37 1305740/2014 Ms Nikki Summerfield 1305741/2014 Mr Paul Edwards 1305742/2014 Mr Paul Landricombe 1305743/2014 Mr Paul Williams 1305744/2014 Mr Peter Brown 1305745/2014 Mr Peter Cawte 1305746/2014 Mr Phil Neely 1305747/2014 Ms Rachel Williams 1305748/2014 Mr Richard Clay 1305749/2014 Mr Richard Grant 1305750/2014 Mr Richard Littler 1305751/2014 Mr Robert Cann 1305752/2014 Mr Russell Bees 1305753/2014 Ms Samantha Harrison 1305754/2014 Mr Samuel McConnell 1305755/2014 Ms Sarah Biggart 1305756/2014 Ms Sarah Stott 1305757/2014 Ms Sarah Pearson 1305758/2014 Mr Shaun Wilson 1305759/2014 Mr Stephen McAllen 1305760/2014 Mr Stephen Moon 1305761/2014 Mr Stephen Radford 1305762/2014 Mr Stephen Wheeler 1305763/2014 Mr Steve Cambridge 1305764/2014 Mr Steven Cassidy 1305765/2014 Mr Steven Penny 1305766/2014 Mr Stuart Williams 1305767/2014 Ms Tanya Bowman 1305768/2014 Mr Terence McDougall 1305769/2014 Ms Teresa MacKness 1305770/2014 Mr Timothy Sumner 1305771/2014 Ms Tracey Webber 1305772/2014 Ms Tracy Exell 1305773/2014 Ms Trudy Mayfield 1305774/2014 Ms Victoria Blackwell 1305775/2014 Ms Wendy Rowlson