PrintWeek alerted the charity to the plight of the firm’s employees last week.
Printing Charity chief executive Stephen Gilbert said: “We will support these workers at Global MP Mailing because that is what The Printing Charity is here to do.
“In the short-term, they may be eligible for an emergency grant to help put food on the table, subject to their filling out an application form and meeting our criteria. All our grants are means-tested,” he explained.
Staff at the Bradford business, a sister company of failed Global MP, have not been paid and are unable to claim redundancy from the government because the company has not yet been put into administration or liquidation.
Hiring a solicitor to act on their behalf will cost £6,000, which is money the workers simply do not have.
One worker told PrintWeek: “I’ve had people on the phone in tears because they haven’t got money for food, never mind anything else.”
Global MP Mailing employed 35 staff. A further 28 workers from the firm’s previous incarnation, Prospect Mailing Services, are also said to be owed money.
Gilbert urged those in need to contact The Printing Charity’s welfare officer Henry Smith for advice on 01293 649368.
The application form for financial assistance is downloadable from the charity’s website.
Gilbert added: “Longer term, we can put them in touch with Turn2Us to identify benefits they may be eligible for, debt counselling charities and our partner, Chiumento, to help them with their job search.
“They may find they need to retrain, and we offer grants usually up to £750 to help people retrain both inside and outside the industry.”
Through its ‘helps’ activities The Printing Charity has handed out more than £1m over the past three years to printing industry workers in need of assistance.
The charity states: “…we will use our selection criteria and discretion to consider all applications to the charity in order to alleviate hardship whether economic, social or emotional.”
HR specialist Chiumento can offer help and advice through its back to work scheme. This involves working with people on CVs, job applications, interview skills and potential alternative career paths such as self-employment.
This service is funded by The Printing Charity so there is no cost to the individual. For more information contact Chiumento client development manager Pedro Venus on 020 7224 3307 or visit www.chiumento.co.uk.
