Former Bally employees have waited two months for their wages

Some former employees of Bally shops have been waiting two months for their wages. The footwear brand’s historic branches closed in May and their staff were dismissed. According to 20 Minuten, employees had been guaranteed continued pay during the customary three-month notice period.

The situation became more complicated in mid-June. A Ticino court blocked a transaction connected with the sale of the brand to US group Regent LP. It was concerned that the company could be sold at a lower price to a business linked to the same group. Bally was subsequently placed under a debt-restructuring moratorium to prevent bankruptcy.

A former employee at the Lausanne branch told 20 Minuten that he had now completed a second month without pay. His wages were meant to continue until the end of August. According to the information given to him, the company’s accounts had been frozen. Unemployment benefit would not be available until the legal position surrounding the restructuring proceedings had been clarified.

The Directorate-General for Employment and the Labour Market in the canton of Vaud said Bally was not insolvent. The company therefore remained responsible for paying wages. If an employer did not pay, employees had to take the necessary steps to enforce their rights.

Gwenolé Scuiller, a union secretary at Unia, advises those affected to put Bally formally in default. If the company does not respond, they could terminate their contracts immediately for serious cause. He also recommends seeking help from a union or legal-protection service. Bally’s press office did not respond to the newspaper’s request for comment.