Mandate Trade Union welcomed a further 3% pay increase yesterday for Dunne’s staff, which after four years of increases has culminated in a 12% increase overall. 10,000 Dunnes workers across the country will are set to benefit from the increase.
The Union lodged a claim for a 3% pay increase on March 30th earlier this year, and the Labour Court had recently set a date for a hearing for the 1st December. However, yesterday morning Dunnes management confirmed concession of the claim at in-store meetings at different locations across the country.
In response to the increase Mandate Assistant General Secretary Gerry Light said, “This is another massive success for the workers in Dunnes Stores who have stuck together in their Union and campaigned for better pay and working conditions for all Dunnes workers.” Reports indicate the pay increase will be backdated to the 3rd October, 2016.
However, as Dunnes workers can have their work hours reduced at the sole discretion of a local manager, this is something that they would still like to have addressed. According to the Mandate, this can potentially make any pay increase somewhat irrelevant. Mr Light said, “Workers also need security of hours – which hasn’t been conceded by Dunnes management yet. Without secure hour contracts, this pay increase can become meaningless if management decide to reduce hours by two or three in a week.”
Dunnes Stores employs almost 10,000 workers in 114 stores in the Republic of Ireland.
© 2016 - Checkout Magazine by Donna Ahern
