The Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) has granted awards to fourteen workers employed by Paddy Power Betfair for the denial of rest breaks.

The workers took the cases through their trade union, Mandate, under the Organisation of Working Time Act 1997 and have been awarded between €750 and €1,000 each.

According to Mandate, the WRC adjudication officer found the company to be in breach of the Act. Mandate urged more Paddy Power Betfair workers to come forward to prosecute claims where merited.

The union has also written to the company seeking a meeting to discuss the implications of the WRC decision.

“These decisions vindicate our members in their claims and I congratulate them on their successful cases,” said Mandate General Secretary John Douglas. “There are tens of thousands of workers in Ireland currently being denied their rights at work because their employer believes the law shouldn’t apply to them. We’re here to tell them that it does.”

Douglas went on to warn Paddy Power workers of requests from management to ‘single-man’ shops: “Workers should not put themselves at risk by working alone for prolonged periods and should take precautions at all times, including shutting the store if necessary. Paddy Power is a highly profitable business and can afford to sufficiently staff their premises so that workers are safe and can avail of their legal right to rest periods.”

Mandate has said that it intends to serve a comprehensive claim on Paddy Power Betfair regarding pay scales, step up duty pay, and premium payments, among other issues, in the coming days.