Mandate Trade Union and Superquinn enter Working Through Partnership agreement
Tuesday 23 March 2010Mandate Trade Union and Superquinn have announced a new innovative partnership agreement which will see the organisations working more closely together to enhance the business as well as the lives of its employees. Superquinn employs over 3,000 staff members in 23 locations nationwide.
The agreement, entitled Working Through Partnership (WTP), which includes two other unions including SIPTU and BFAWU, is designed to nurture and protect a consultative approach to development and progress in the business. Mandate’s Assistant General Secretary, Gerry Light, says the union sees this agreement as a model for how all retail companies should operate in Ireland.
The Working Through Partnership agreement includes a series of initiatives such as:
· Hosting of monthly Store Partnership Forums (SPF) and biannual Company Partnership Forum (CPF);
· Enhanced disciplinary and grievance procedures;
· Improved communications facilities, training and development opportunities for staff members.
An evaluation and monitoring process will be put in place to ensure that the new framework meets the agreed objectives.
Gerry Light said that this new arrangement will help to resolve issues of mutual concern and enhance democracy in the workplace.
“The partnership framework gives workers an opportunity to influence company policy and operational structures through the monthly Store Partnership Forums and the biannual Company Partnership Forum. For example, the Store Partnership Forums will be involved in reviewing the store’s performance as well as wider company performance, reviewing business plans and local industrial relations issues, as well as dealing with staff development and training programmes. The Store Partnership Forums will be chaired on a rotation system by a union Shop Steward and a Store Manager.”
Mr Light explained that the Company Partnership Forum (CPF) will meet twice a year and participants will include the Company CEO, Senior Managers, Store Managers, Regional Managers, Union Officials and Shop Stewards. The agenda for the CPF will include a review of store performances and company performance, a review of current agreements and a review and plan for the Working Through Partnership strategy.
“This progressive and innovative agreement shows how unions and businesses can work together in order to create a mutually beneficial work environment. Both parties agree that this ‘partnership of trust’ will enable Superquinn to have a more engaged workforce giving them a competitive advantage over their rivals in the retail trade.
“Each of the stakeholders has their own goals including, for the workers, security of employment, protection of earnings and an enhanced working environment. For the company this includes Superquinn’s competitiveness, sustained profitable growth and enhanced customer services. At the same time, both parties have mutual goals which can be achieved through the new framework.”
Gerry Light emphasised how this responsible partnership approach works in both good and bad times for employers and workers.
“Mandate and Superquinn last year took difficult steps to protect the business which resulted in the implementation of a survival plan, “The Programme for Competitiveness and Change 2009/2010.” Unfortunately this resulted in some redundancies and a wage freeze for staff members but this was a process that needed to take place in order to ensure long term survival and future prosperity of the company and also job security for the workers.
“Whilst cost control of this nature is understandable during these current economic recessionary times, cost cutting is a short term measure and is not the foundation of a long term strategy for sustained growth. This is achieved through the existence of measures such as those provided by the Working Through Partnership approach.”
Simon Burke, Executive Chairman of Superquinn, comments, “The principle aim of Working Through Partnership is to work closely with all of our colleagues and the Trade Unions to build and grow Superquinn for the future. This consultative approach is particularly important during the ongoing challenging trading conditions. Superquinn is committed to maintaining this partnership approach as we move forward, and will be holding our first company forum today, a bi-annual event which we believe will ensure joint ownership of issue resolution.”
Kevin Foley, Director of Conciliation at the Labour Relations Commission said, “The lynch-pin of effective industrial relations is a commitment to constructive information sharing and dialogue. The agreement entered into by Superquinn and Mandate clearly sets out both parties’ commitment to enhancing their relationship through dialogue and communication and the Commission congratulates the parties on this. The Commission is confident that this agreement will reap dividends for both sides into the future”
Mandate also called on consumers to make informed decisions about where they shop and what type of employer they give their custom to.
“Even in these difficult economic times, it is important that consumers make a choice based on what t
