Taoiseach backs Dunnes workers on right to clarity over hours

Taoiseach Enda Kenny has backed Dunnes Stores workers in seeking clarity on their working hours.

More than 5,000 employees of the retailer who are members of the Mandate trade union - more than half its workforce - will place pickets at about 100 outlets on Thursday.

The stoppage on Holy Thursday is likely to hit the company’s pre-Easter sales, particularly of alcohol on the day before Good Friday, when drink sales across the State are banned.

The dispute centres on demands for secure hours and earnings, job security, pay and the right to trade union representation.

Dunnes Stores outlets across the country are expected to be open on Thursday.

The strike by members of Mandate has been backed by the trade union movement generally across the country.

Possible layoffs

Dunnes Stores has not commented publicly on the dispute, but last month warned staff of possible layoffs and redundancies if “harm” was inflicted on the company as a result of industrial action.

Siptu, which represents over 350 members in Dunnes Stores in Cavan, Cork, Donegal and Dublin, said while its members had not balloted for industrial action at this time, they were "in dispute with Dunnes Stores regarding their contracts of employment and the provision of a decent living wage".

The Taoiseach told the Dáil on Wednesday that he supported “certainty and the right of people to know from their employer what hours they are expected to work each week, in so far as that is possible”.

Mr Kenny said he hoped the strike does not go ahead.

“I support the workers in their right to have clarity about their working lives. Therefore, the message to the employers is that this can be sorted out. These workers are loyal workers. They provide services every day of the week on a 24-hour basis. That should be recognised.”

Low-hours contracts

The Taoiseach was replying to Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin, who said the strike was essentially about low-hour contracts which had become the norm in certain sections of the economy.

A major employer was exercising power over its employees, he said.

“There is no decency at the heart of the relationship between this employer and these workers,’’ he added.

Mr Martin said it was “like going back to the 19th century’’, adding the system was being used to control workers.

Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams said his party also supported the workers.

Mandate has said its members in Dunnes were seeking the implementation of “banded hour” contracts which would give workers security of hours and earnings, fair levels of pay, a review of “excessive use” of temporary contracts of employment and individual and collective representation rights in the company.

Under a system of banded hours, employees are guaranteed that their weekly working hours for the company will not fall below those in a specific “band” of hours that applies to them.

Mandate has maintained that management at Dunnes Stores has refused to abide by the terms of a collective agreement which the company freely signed up to in 1996.

The Labour Court in November found the union and Dunnes Stores had reached a collective agreement for the resolution of disputes.

However, in a letter to staff last month, Dunnes said it would not enter into direct discussions with a trade union and would avail of all of its legal entitlements in that regard.