lost their jobs are owed money as well, writes Ahmed ElAmin Laid off workers of the defunct Co-Op Supermarket are owed thousands of dollars they thought was going towards their pensions and medical insurance payments, but was instead used to help keep the business afloat, a former employee alleged yesterday.

"We are also creditors,'' the former employee, who did not want to be named, told The Royal Gazette .

Most, if not all, of the cooperative's 15 workers were members of the Bermuda Industrial Union (BIU). They also own shares in the cooperative.

While the cooperative has acknowledged it owes creditors about $1.4 million, the former employee said he wanted to make sure others were aware of the debt also owed to those who lost their jobs.

The cooperative's lawyer, Delroy Duncan, did not return telephone calls made over the past week.

The former workers raised the issue at one of the shareholders meetings to discuss the supermarket's demise in October, when it closed for business.

However cooperative chairman Victor Fishington, who is also PLP party chairman, did not deal with it fully, the employee said.

"For the workers it's a slap in the face,'' he said.

Employees first became aware their money apparently wasn't being sent to pay their insurance premiums in March 1997 when a pregnant worker went to a doctor for a checkup and was told she was no longer covered by the company's plan.

The BIU later stepped in and paid for the woman's pregnancy.

The other workers soon found out and approached their manager who told them it was a matter for the board of directors. The former employee said money was also not being paid into the company pension plan.

In all he figures he is owed about $1,300 for money which was not used for insurance but was taken off his pay cheque, plus another $6,200 for vacation pay and overtime.

He was responding to the unsuccessful court battle by the cooperative's board and its creditors to get the Registrar of Companies to oversee the liquidation.

The cooperative closed for business owing about $1.4 million to creditors. It owes the Bermuda Industrial Union (BIU) about $483,000, and the Government about $105,900 in taxes, and $40,300 in social insurance payments. Wholesalers BDC Ltd., Butterfield & Vallis, and Winter-Cookson, Petty are owed another $350,000.

Delroy Duncan Victor Fishington BUSINESS BUC