Ann Mackay and her sister-in-law Magi have suffered what no family believes they will ever have to but far too often do, having a loved one leave for work and never to return alive.
Scottish Hazards are supporting his widow Ann and sister Magi in their quest for answers and urging the employer, Nationwide Access Platforms to show some compassion for the pain and heartache that Ann, Magi and the extended family have suffered and will continue to suffer for the rest of their lives.
In this case the actions of the employer have increased the pain and suffering they have had to endure since John Mackay’s death last September in an incident at the former SSI steelworks in Redcar, Teeside.
To advise Ann that she would be entitled to a death in service payment of 2.5 times John’s final salary and then reduce that to a payment equivalent to one year is strange and lacking any compassion whatsoever.
Especially so when the finances of the company appear to show they could well afford to make an exgratia payment to John’s widow (with no liability attached) . Publicly available accounts reveal that, in the year to 31 December 2018 Nationwide Access Platforms net profit was £14.5m. A further £15m was paid in dividends, presumably to parent company the Lavendon Group.
At the time of the takeover of Lavendon Group by French company Loxham in May 2017, the value of Lavendon was quoted by the lawyers firm who represented the group in the takeover as being £600m.
The Lavendon Group’s own accounts for the same period tell a similar story; equity of £186 million, director’s remuneration and emoluments £1.9 million (5 directors) and net profit of £25.8m.
This does not appear to be a company that could not afford to be compassionate.
Scottish Hazards believes there should be a distinction between death in service benefit (often linked to an occupational pension scheme) for those who die while in service of the employer and payments made for those killed by work related activity, regardless of who is responsible.
In this Edinburgh News article a spokesman for Nationwide Access Platforms states that John was the first employee to be killed at work and he understands the need for the family to have answers and the closure they require.
It is of little comfort to Ann and Magi Mackay that John was the first person to die in an incident at work while employed by Nationwide Access Platforms Ltd and it is wrong to assume the family will ever get closure.
Most families we support always have painful, lingering heartache they say will last for the rest of their lives and one unanswered question, Why?
Scottish Hazards will be there in the months ahead for John Mackay’s family in order to help them get answers and the justice they deserve.
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