Businessman Faces Tribunal Over €1,876 Pay Dispute with Coach

A tribunal has ruled in favor of coach Andrés Martínez-Cuquerella after he was subjected to what was described as “intimidating” text messages from his employer, William McGlade, founder of House of Padel in Dublin. The conflict arose following a pay dispute after Martínez-Cuquerella was let go due to low demand for coaching services.

The Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) examined evidence that included text messages sent by McGlade. In these messages, he accused Martínez-Cuquerella of “lying about the job you’re doing” and warned him that he was “going about this the wrong way if you want to coach padel in Dublin.” The tribunal found that these messages demonstrated a heavy-handed and inappropriate tone.

Martínez-Cuquerella began working at House of Padel in January 2023, having been recognized as a “top-rated coach” in the sport. His employment lasted eight weeks before he was terminated in March, with the tribunal noting the reason was insufficient coaching work to sustain his position. While his base pay was set at €14 per hour for a 40-hour work week, he was also eligible for a premium of €30 per hour for coaching sessions, which were billed to clients at €120 each.

Upon termination, Martínez-Cuquerella reported being owed wages, including €224 in public holiday pay, €336 for three days of accrued annual leave, and an underpayment of €16 for coaching. The tribunal’s adjudication officer, Penelope McGrath, noted that McGlade did not attend a hearing related to the case in October, leaving Martínez-Cuquerella’s testimony largely unchallenged.

In her findings, McGrath characterized the messages from McGlade as both intimidating and threatening, stating, “By way of an observation, I found the text messages from the company director to be intimidating and threatening in tone and print.” One message included a warning that McGlade would inform Martínez-Cuquerella’s future employers about his “actions of lying about the job you’re doing.”

The tribunal upheld Martínez-Cuquerella’s claim for unpaid wages and determined that he was entitled to two weeks’ wages as notice due to the immediate termination of his contract. Consequently, House of Padel was ordered to compensate Martínez-Cuquerella with €1,876 under the Payment of Wages Act 1991.

This case highlights the ongoing challenges faced by workers in the sports coaching industry, particularly regarding employment rights and fair treatment in contractual relationships.