News

More than 2,000 Marks and Spencer’s employees took industrial action across Ireland on Saturday December 7 after management unilaterally decided to change their working conditions.

In late September, Marks and Spencer began negotiations with Mandate and SIPTU regarding the closure of four stores in Tallaght, Naas, Dun Laoghaire and Mullingar, with the loss of 180 jobs.

In addition, other cost saving proposals included a reduction in the premium for working on Sundays and public holidays, the elimination of the Christmas bonus and cuts to the number of section managers.

During the discussions Mandate asked for assurances that these proposals formed the entirety of the company’s savings plan. Management emphatically assured the union that this was the case.

Within a number of weeks, the company dropped the bombshell that they were also closing the workers’ defined benefit pension scheme.

Management has not given sufficient evidence that any of these cost saving measures are justified. It is difficult for workers to accept the unilateral imposition of these proposals and the closure of the pension scheme, which is performing well and has a current surplus of €17 million.               

Workers do not want to take industrial action but are genuinely hurt and disappointed with the way their employer has treated them. They are asking the company to act in a manner befitting of the public perception towards Marks and Spencers as a reputable employer that respects its workforce.

“On behalf of our members, I would like to ask for your understanding and support as workers at Marks and Spencer take the only option available to them to protect their families’ living standards,” said John Douglas, Mandate’s General Secretary.              

You can visit the employees’ Facebook page here and you can sign a petition in support of the workers here.