Wallis dispute escalates as ICTU issues all out picket

Friday 18 October 2013

Mandate Trade Union members in Wallis retail outlets in Dublin and Limerick have been granted ‘All-Out Picket’ status by the Irish Congress of Trade Unions today (Friday, 18th October 2013).

Congress has informed all affiliated trade unions in Ireland of the decision and is asking all trade union members to observe the picket and support the Wallis workers.

Mandate’s Assistant General Secretary Gerry Light said, “The workers on the picket line are delighted with the call from Congress. They’ve received a lot of support and solidarity from members of the public but now all trade unions across the country will be asking their hundreds of thousands of members not to shop in the stores while the dispute continues.”

The Wallis workers in the Childers Road store in Limerick have been on strike for 26 days and the Grafton Street workers in Dublin have been on strike for three days after the company reneged on an agreed redundancy package.

Wallis Stores are owned by the multinational Arcadia Group along with Miss Selfridge, Dorothy Perkins, Evans, Burtons, Top Shop and Top Man outlets. The company paid €92 million to the UK owners last year yet they have now cut their Irish workers’ redundancy entitlements by 45%.

The company has also refused to attend the Labour Relations Commission (LRC), the Irish states mechanism for resolving industrial disputes. However, on the day Congress issued all-out picket status, Wallis management contacted Mandate seeking a meeting between the two parties.

Mr Light said, “We’re cautiously welcoming the contact from management and are prepared to meet them in one last genuine effort to resolve the issues in dispute however we’re obviously aware that this may not provide a satisfactory resolution for the workers. Clearly the potential to resolve this dispute lies largely with management. Therefore we will proceed as planned with all pickets until such time as the company affords these loyal workers their agreed and just entitlements.”

He continued, “As the Wallis store on Grafton Street is due to close on Saturday, our members will be moving their picket to the Jervis Street store in an effort to resolve this unnecessary dispute.”

Mandate also say a picket will be placed on the Wallis store in Blanchardstown next week should the dispute not be resolved in the meantime and there is a possibility the dispute could escalate even further.

Mr Light added, “Obviously nobody wants to take industrial action, particularly in the current economic environment. However, these workers are not prepared to let this very wealthy company walk all over them and clearly they’re prepared to stand up for what’s right and fair.”