*

Workers in the Wallis retail outlet on Grafton Street members of the Dublin South West Division are engaged in industrial action since Wednesday, 16th October 2013. The Workers are part of the Arcadia group owned by British billionaire, Sir Philip Green, who is closing a number of stores in its Irish operation, including Wallis outlets in Dublin and Limerick.

The Grafton St workers balloted for industrial action in support of 17 of their Limerick colleagues who have been locked out of employment for more than three weeks. On Tuesday the 15th of October the Wallis workers in the Blanchardstown store also balloted for supportive industrial action.

Staff in the Grafton Street store have since been told with less than a week’s notice, that their store will also cease trading this Saturday the 19th of October. The company is only offering 2¾ weeks per year of service to staff who are losing their jobs which is in breach of an existing agreement to pay five weeks for every year worked.

 

Arcadia Group which includes Miss Selfridge, Dorothy Perkins, Evans and Burtons made the workers in Limerick compulsorily redundant but reneged on a long standing redundancy agreement with their staff. This is despite Arcadia Multiples Ireland Ltd paying €92million to their UK owners in 2012.

The Company are also refusing to compensate workers for loss of earnings following the restructuring of the company and are unwilling to attend the Irish state’s mechanisms for resolving industrial disputes, the Labour Relations Commission (LRC).

Mandate Divisional Organiser, David Moran, said: “Nine months ago, the company paid five weeks per year of service to staff that it made redundant in their Santry store. It is clearly unfair and they have given us no explanation why these workers are now being treated differently.

 

He said, “The Company is also refusing to attend the Labour Relations Commission (LRC) and it seems they’re happier to leave their workers out on the streets rather than attempt to achieve a resolution to this dispute.

“As always, Mandate and our members are committed to finding an amicable resolution of this dispute and are available to attend the Labour Relations Commission.”

He also added “We would urge all members in the South West Division to show their support for to their fellow members by refusing to shop in any of the Arcadia group store till this matter is resolved. And if any of our members are in the area, feel free to drop in on the girls and give them your support, it’d be very much appreciated.”