Marks & Spencer workers vote for industrial action
Monday 19 August 2013Mandate Trade Union members have voted overwhelmingly in favour of industrial action in the four Marks & Spencer stores the company has decided to close in the Republic of Ireland.
Union members in the Dun Laoghaire, Mullingar, Naas and Tallaght stores voted by a margin of 88% in favour of industrial action and Mandate Trade Union has now issued notice of industrial action on the company which will take place on or after the 10 September 2013.
Mandate General Secretary John Douglas said, “The result of the ballot clearly indicates the level of unity within the Marks & Spencer workers who are very upset at the way the company intends to make them compulsorily redundant without any attempt to explore alternative options.
“We have registered our frustration and disappointment with the company whose actions have caused great anxiety for their workers, not only in these stores, but across the whole of Marks & Spencer’s stores in the Republic of Ireland.
“Mandate is attempting to minimise the impact of the closures on the workers concerned and we believe this situation is completely resolvable.
“We’re calling on Marks & Spencer’s management to show some goodwill towards their workers and explore all other avenues available including possible redeployment to other stores,” he said.
Mandate now say pickets will be placed on the four stores on or after the 10th September but they are reserving the right to engage other stores in the dispute at a later date should the company not resolve all maters to a mutual satisfaction.
