Frank Todisco lets his people go

PrintLinx closes it doors on 150 jobs while promising that ‘everybody will get paid - except the landlord.’

The long-running saga of the PrintLinx group of companies takes another twist as owner and prominent industry identity, Frank Todisco, tells his staff at a meeting on Monday that they have to finish up next Wednesday (23rd Feb). He blames the landlord of the company’s Melbourne dockside premises for the decision. He claims Australian Unity has denied the company access to the premises at 706 Lorimer St.
“They have left me no choice. We can’t get to the equipment. I’ve no other option than to cease operations,” he said.

Australian Unity tells a different story. According to Peter Lambden, head of diversified property trusts, after allowing PrintLinx access to the premises for a period, Australian Unity reached an agreement with Todisco interests to continue trading at the premises under a different business name, Mercedes Waratah, for up to six months. "We reached that agreement and then they declined to take it up for their own reasons. We have acted very responsibly in this," he said.

Lamden said that negotiations are continuing for PrintLinx to gain access and remove the equipment from the premises.

Frank Todisco said that staff, many of who have worked for the company for decades, will receive all their entitlements such as wages, holiday pay and long service. However they will not be paid redundancy. He maintains that because the business is closing down it is not applicable.

A number of employees will be offered positions with other Todisco companies, notably Mercedes Waratah, which will take on the business trading names of PrintLinx and M&M Binding. According to Frank, most employees will be offered positions eventually.

The situation in Tasmania is more confused, with the unionised workforce at PrintLinx there being asked to transfer to Print Applied Technologies, another Todisco company.

“I’m not trying to hurt anyone, I’m willing to listen to anyone. I’ve been in this business for 40 years. We will pay all entitlements but we cannot pay redundancy,” he said.

He predicts that creditors will liquidate PrintLinx Pty Ltd within six months, but maintains that suppliers will also get what is owed, as he vows to continue trading under the business name. Currently outsourcing his orders to other companies he says he is negotiating the takeover of another Melbourne printing company in order to stay in the game.

The Lorimer Street dispute predates Australian Unity’s ownership of the premises. It involves PrintLinx’s refusal to pay rent until certain drainage repairs were made. The landlord at the time took the rent from the bond and passed the rest on to Australian Unity late last year. The complex dispute has festered every since.

Some ex-PrintLinx staff say they have been told they will not receive long service, but Frank denies this is the case.