By Graeme Cleland

A WORKER at a financially troubled Dundee nursery has spoken out about the failure of its bosses to pay employees.

Anett Horvath (31), originally from Hungary, started work at Everychild Nursery in Panmurefield village at the start of March.

However, despite being handed a payslip on Friday showing how much she should have been paid, she did not receive any money.

Anett has vowed not to return to work at the nursery following the failure to stump up, and it is understood she is not the only one.

Following a string of similar problems with pay over the past six months, it is believed many of the 20 staff have walked out and will not go back.

“A lot of the people who worked there have suffered more than me,” said Anett.

“I have only been there a short time but there are many who are owed a lot of money.

“Some of them are not going back because they can’t even afford the money for petrol to get to work—it is terrible.”

It is not the first time Anett, who has spent five years in Scotland, has been hit by employment problems since she moved to Dundee around a year and a half ago.

She previously worked for a travel company in the city that ran into financial difficulty and terminated her contract early, failing to pay her £1000 due in wages.

She eventually managed to recover the money with the help of the Citizens’ Advice Bureau.

She had just come off unemployment benefit to take the job at Everychild Nursery following that disaster—and is now faced with returning to the dole unless she can find another job quickly.

The future of Everychild Nursery is unclear.

If many staff members do not return to work today it is understood it may be unable to open if it cannot meet lawful worker-to-child ratios.

Contacted by The Courier on Friday after a string of staff complaints about the situation at the nursery, the owner’s partner Olivia McDowell confirmed there had been “a problem” but said she hoped the staff would be paid by today.

However, despite repeated attempts, owner and director Steve Pape was unable to be reached for comment last night.

Last month the nursery was made the subject of a bid for in-solvency.

Then, Mr Pape denied the business was about to be wound up in the face of an HM Revenue and Customs petition to the Court of Session over an unpaid tax bill.

Asked if the business was shouldering debts, Mr Pape said at the time, “Absolutely not. I suppose, in hindsight, we would not expect this to happen ever again.

“We have recently moved banks. We were not very happy with our old bankers.”

Mr Pape declined to go into detail about the bill.

The nursery recently unveiled a new extension to the premises, featuring a larger play area and new staff room.