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A man has taken the wheels off his own work van in a dispute over unpaid wages.

Delroy Cauchi, formerly of Knowle West, worked for Mitie cleaning Tesco stores for two weeks in July.

After racking up 167 hours he says the company only paid him for 100, claiming they didn’t have enough money in their budget.

In desperation Delroy took the wheels off his van and put posters in the window which read: “I have no issue giving your van back as long as I am paid the wages I have worked for.”

However, Mitie claim they have attempted to contact Delroy without success.

“I’ve been working with Mitie for six years now,” Delroy told Plymouth Herald.

“There have always been pay issues – I didn’t get holiday pay one year.

“Its destroyed my relationship."

Delroy, who moved to Plymouth eight weeks ago for work, said he took action because he wasn’t being listened to by Mitie.

"I worked 167 hours in total over two weeks and my line manager basically said there isn't enough money in the budget to pay you.

"They said I shouldn't have gone over my contract of 40 hours a week, but I said I had to because I'm required to find staff to cover if someone is off sick, on holiday, or just don't bother to turn up - which happens quite a lot. The buck stops with me so if I can't find anyone I have to work it. There is no support around you to help deal with that."

Since being informed that 67 hours of his work would not be paid, Delroy has reportedly filed a grievance with Mitie, called their head office, and spoken to his line manager without success.

"Basically what I've asked them for is the tracker in the van which logs when I started and when I finished every day," Delroy said.

"But Mitie won't provide me with anything. I don't expect them to pay me for lunch or the two to three smoking breaks I take every day.

"First of all I was told I would have a letter which I never received. I then had an email from my line manager saying, 'Are you attending this meeting tomorrow?'. It was at Lee Mill and I replied that, number one, you have to give me more than 24 hours notice and, two, it needs to be closer to home - I wasn't working for them anymore so I couldn't use the van. My line manager said he would sort it out and he never did."

Delroy claims his ongoing problems with Mitie have contributed to the break down of his relationship with his partner of six years with whom he shares two young children.

"People are too scared of losing their jobs to complain," Delroy said.

"I need to show my ex-partner that I'm not going to be messed around by this company any more."

Having ceased employment with Mitie, Delroy has returned to his trade as a painter and decorator. The work van has since been collected by Mitie, but Delroy still has the key in his possession.

"I try to go the extra mile wherever I work," he said.

"I was a builder for 14 years and Mitie seemed like the right change of career when I started. It's not just me - I can think of five or six other people in Plymouth who have had pay issues and several in Bristol. I'm no longer angry and I don't carry any resentment. I've got no issues with them taking the van, I just want to be paid."

Delroy says he is also taking action on behalf of workers still employed Mitie who are unwilling to speak out.

He said: “A company as big as they are with that number of workers not being paid, not being given proper equipment or PPR to protect themselves, its shocking.

“It’s for other workers who wont speak up as they still work for them.”

A spokesperson for Mitie said: “We have tried to contact Mr Cauchi on a number of occasions about the investigation relating to the grievance he raised. To date we have received no response but would be happy to discuss this with him directly in order to resolve this as soon as possible.”