A UNION is embarking on a Scottish fight to get staff of Jamie's Italian chain the wages, holidays, notice and redundancy payments they are owed.
Jamie Oliver’s restaurant chain appointed administrators last week and it emerged that 1,000 staff were confirmed to have been made redundant.
All but three of the celebrity chef's 25 UK restaurants were shut with immediate effect.
There are two Jamie’s Italian restaurants in Scotland, the flagship eatery in Glasgow and one based in Edinburgh.
Unite Hospitality say members were made redundant with less than 30 minutes notice, in some cases by telephone.
And the union said: "This week, we're fighting back to get them what they're due. Wages, holidays, notice pay and redundancy are all owed."
Union officers have been at Unite offices in York Place in Edinburgh from today for legal advice & assistance.
The union says it will also be lobbying politicians at local and national level to ensure that access to government funds such as the Insolvency Service is made faster and less bureaucratic.
The move left only his restaurants at Gatwick Airport open, which include two Jamie's Italian branches and Jamie Oliver's Diner. They will continue to trade 'in the short term' while administrators explore options for the site.
Oliver, whose net worth is estimated at £240m, has pumped £4m of his own money into the ailing group since the beginning of this year as directors tried to secure more funding, a spokeswoman for KPMG said.
The celebrity chef had said he was "devastated" over the move and tweeted to express his sadness, thanking those who "put their hearts and souls into this business over the years".
Other restaurants in Oliver's empire that have also closed include Barbecoa and Hoxton.
The administrators KPMG have been approached for comment.
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