MANDATE TRADE UNION ASKS FOR URGENT MEETING WITH KPMG TO ENSURE LA SENZA WORKERS’ GET PAID PROPER REDUNDANCY AND ALL OUTSTANDING MONIES OWED
Tuesday 10 January 2012Union slams ‘appalling lack of communication’ with staff and expresses support for La Senza workers occupying Liffey Valley store
The Mandate Trade Union has today written to KPMG, the administrators to the La Senza chain of lingerie stories, seeking an urgent meeting to ensure that the company’s Irish staff’s get paid proper redundancy and all outstanding monies owed. The union has strongly criticised the appalling lack of communication with La Senza staff and has expressed its support for the workers occupying the La Senza store at the Liffey Valley Shopping Centre in west Dublin.
Mandate Trade Union represents over 45,000 workers in Ireland’s retail industry.
Mandate’s Divisional Organiser, Michael Meegan, explained that his union and La Senza workers are still trying to find out precisely what is happening to the company’s Irish operations.”Last night the union and staff were informed that KPMG had been appointed as the administrators to La Senza’s Irish operations. Then this morning, the company’s staff arrived at work and received information from the administrators that their employment was being terminated with immediate effect.
“On foot of this, we are now seeking an urgent meeting with the administrators to clarify exactly what is going on at La Senza and to insist, on our members’ behalf, that they ensure that their Irish workers’ legal entitlements are met in terms of payment of all wages and holiday pay owed as well as redundancy pay. The union will take whatever steps are necessary to ensure that our members receive their legal entitlements and, in this context, we support those workers occupying the La Senza store at Liffey Valley.”
Mr Meegan also said the union was appalled at how the La Senza workers have been treated.
“Rumours have been circulating about the future of La Senza and we have been seeking information from the company on its plans so that their staff can make arrangements for their own lives. However, despite our best efforts little or no information was forthcoming until we and the staff heard last night that administrators had been appointed and then this morning about the job losses. It’s really an appalling way to treat people to tell them – with no notice – that they have lost their jobs with immediate effect. However, the union will leave no stone unturned to ensure fair treatment for the La Senza workers,” Michael Meegan concluded.
