Mandate says workers are on the picket-line at Tesco in Sligo today, in an action that could lead to it spreading to its other 150 stores.
Its members voted to strike at the outlet in the town today and again on Friday week.
They claim they will no longer be given the right by the company to be represented by a trade union.
Mandate’s Ciaran Campbell says if there’s no progress, they’ll step up their action………..
In a statement Tesco Ireland say:
“We are disappointed Mandate proceeded with its action today at our Sligo store as this is a local dispute involving local issues that didn’t warrant a strike. Our store remains open throughout and we thank our colleagues and the public for their co-operation.
The strike breaches the union and the company’s agreed procedures for disputes. Tesco urges Mandate to resume co-operation with the industrial relations processes of the State having rejected a conciliation conference at the Workplace Relations Commission on October 24th regarding the issues in Sligo. Mandate should call off its other proposed one-day stoppages during this busy time as it is inconveniencing customers in the run up to Christmas and only encouraging cross-border shopping in the North West.
Tesco continues to offer the best pay and benefits in our sector and remains the only major employer in the food retail sector to recognise Mandate. Against what remains a very competitive and challenging market place with retail price deflation, sterling weakness and the resumption of cross-border shopping, Tesco this year awarded a 2% pay increase for in-scope colleagues. In addition this year we awarded between 2% and 5% bonus meaning most colleagues have received a combined benefit of between 4% and 7% in 2018 alone, as well as having already received a combined 6% of increases since 2015. Tesco also has official accreditation from its colleagues as a Great Place to Work.”
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
