RTE star Ryan Tubridy branded Twitter’s handling of its controversial mass jobs cull as “chaotic” and said its billionaire owner is an “odd creature”.
The world’s richest man Elon Musk (51), who bought Twitter last month for €34bn, announced by email four days ago his aim to sack half of the global 7,000 workforce
Twitter has told its 500 Dublin staff that it will comply with labour laws by consulting workers before redundancies begin in 30 days’ time.
Tubs (50) said: “Musk sounds like someone who should not be underestimated, even if he is an odd creature.
“I hope all [workers] are well, especially our friends in Twitter in Dublin who may have lost work on Friday after those emails were sent out.
“There seems to be a grey area in terms of how you can just send an email to an employee in Ireland and say, ‘You’re gone tomorrow’.
“Is there no labour law that needs to cover that? Let’s hope there is some class of recourse to employment justice for the workers in Twitter.”
Some Twitter staff tweeted to reveal that they have already been asked back – and Late Late Show host Ryan wants them to be paid more.
He repeated claims on Twitter and said: “There was a terrible mistake.
“People were let go before management realised that their work and experience may be necessary to build the new features that Musk wants.”
He added: “Hopefully they will pay them more. It’s all a bit chaotic, isn’t it?”
Hundreds of staff at Twitter’s Dublin office were stunned when told by email last Friday that they could lose their jobs by 4pm that day.
But many remain in limbo because the company performed a U-turn amid an outcry that Twitter risked breaching Ireland’s labour laws.
Taoiseach Micheal Martin said after Friday’s shock announcement: “A sort of summary notice of dismissal or ‘you're no longer working’ is not acceptable.”
Twitter confirmed its intention to abide by Ireland’s employment laws, which state that the Minister for Enterprise must be informed if a firm intends mass redundancies some 30 days before the first dismissal.
Companies are also required to hold a 30-day consultation period with employees in this situation.
Staff have been told that they do not need to work during the 30-day consultation period and have been told not to go to the office.
Meanwhile, Twitter last Saturday launched its controversial US$8 monthly fee for blue tick accounts – and Tubridy supports the move.
He does not have a known personal account in his own name, but his RTE Radio 1 show does have a Twitter account, although it does not have a blue tick.
He said: “Twitter will also permanently suspend any account that impersonates another, unless it states clearly that is a parody.
“I’m okay with that. I’ve seen a few imitations. I see it all the time. Some people get in touch with me and ask, ‘Did you get in touch?’
“I don’t respond because I have too much stuff going on.
“But I wouldn’t mind paying for the blue tick because it separates you from the people who are being fake and troublesome.
“It’s not a bad thing. I think the people who are whingeing about the blue tick are barking up the wrong tree and can probably afford it.”
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