Cautious welcome for 3 pay increase at dunnes stores

The Mandate Trade Union has issued a 'cautious welcome' after Dunnes Stores has reportedly agreed to grant a 3 percent pay increase for its workers.

However, the union says the pay increase must be implemented with secure, banded hour contracts for it to be meaningful.

Mandate lodged a claim for a 3 percent pay increase last month. This morning (Tuesday) the union stated that Dunnes management had confirmed concession of the claim at in-store “communications meetings” with staff across the country.

Mandate says this shows what workers can achieve when they stick together, but ultimately it does not address the key concerns of their members.

Gerry Light, Mandate Assistant General Secretary said: “This concession of our claim for a 3 percent pay increase is important, and it shows our campaign is making progress, but workers also need security of hours. What use is a pay increase if management can reduce your hours by two or three in a week, leaving you with less income?

“Any pay increase must be implemented with banded hour contracts to ensure workers have decent and secure earnings from week to week.

'At the moment they don’t know if they’ll have the hours and the income to pay their electricity bill or feed their families next month. They can’t get a mortgage or a credit union loan because of their low-hour contacts,” he said.

Mandate members in Dunnes Stores have won a total of 9 percent in pay increases over the last three years. The Union says the pay increases demonstrate the success of the Decency for Dunnes Workers campaign, but the campaign will continue.

Mr Light said: “What Dunnes workers are asking for is very reasonable and is afforded to all workers in Dunnes’ major competitors in the retail sector, including Tesco, Penneys, Marks & Spencer and Supervalu.

'They want secure hours and earnings, job security, fair pay and the right to be represented by their trade union.”

As part of the Decency for Dunnes Workers campaign, Mandate will host a major national demonstration on Saturday, June 6.

Workers and supporters will assemble at Merrion Square in Dublin at 1pm and march to Dunnes Stores Head Office on Georges Street, Dublin 2.

Dunnes Stores employs almost 10,000 workers in 114 stores in the Republic of Ireland.