According to documents seen by the Sunday Tribune, Balcon Developments Ltd of The Maltings, Canal Side, Athy, Co Kildare was in 2006 ordered by Rights Commissioner Janet Hughes to pay Sebastian Dudek a total of �16,000 in relation to three separate breaches of employment legislation.

The company did not appeal the decisions within the allowed timeframe and solicitors acting on behalf of Siptu are in the process of acquiring execution orders through the courts to seize goods from the company to the amount of the award, according to Pat McCabe of Siptu's midlands branch.

Dudek, now in fulltime employment with another construction company, is said to be extremely frustrated with the length of time it is taking to secure the money owed to him. He first approached Siptu two years ago. A spokesperson for Balcon was unavailable for comment.

"The exploitation of Sebastian Dudek is far from an isolated incident in the construction industry but his former employer's attitude to the awards made by the Rights Commissioner certainly is, " said McCabe.

"Nevertheless, Siptu will always pursue employers failing to honour the registered employment agreement and, where unscrupulous employers show contempt for the industrial-relations machinery and fail to implement Rights Commissioner decisions, to the civil courts for implementation."

In a separate case, Hughes has ordered Balcon to pay Marek Filipowicz a total of �16,200 in relation to breaches of employment legislation and underpayment. The company no longer have time to appeal these decisions.

McCabe said Balcon is also the subject of a Labour Court probe regarding the mandatory construction pension scheme.