Marks & Spencer strike to go ahead tomorrow
Friday 6 December 2013More than 2,000 Marks & Spencer workers across Ireland will go on strike tomorrow (Saturday, 7th December) in order to protect their long established terms and conditions of employment which the company is attempting to erode.
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On 31 October, Marks & Spencer management unilaterally closed the workers’ defined benefit pension scheme without giving any satisfactory justification for such a move. The company has also put forward proposals for:
- A reduction in the Sunday and Public Holiday premium;
- The elimination of the Christmas bonus;
- A reduction in the number of Section Managers.
Mandate Trade Union, which represents the vast majority of the workers, says the actions of the company are disappointing, totally unacceptable and have left their workers without any choice but to take industrial action.
Gerry Light, Assistant General Secretary stated “our members do not want to be on strike in the run up to Christmas but unfortunately the behaviour of their employer has forced their hand.
“Management have not given sufficient evidence that these cost saving proposals are justified and in that context it is difficult for the workers to accept the unilateral imposition of cost saving measures like the closing of the Defined Benefit pension scheme which unlike many is performing and has a current surplus of €17m.”
Mr Light added that the company’s repeated statements about wanting to meet to resolve the issues in dispute are nothing less than disingenuous.
“Notwithstanding the pre-emptive attack on our member’s terms and conditions the union attended two conciliation conferences at the Labour Relations Commission in order to find a resolution. However, despite being requested to defer some of the implementation dates for the removal of our members much valued entitlements to facilitate meaningful engagement, management refused to agree,” he said.
“Ironically the company are seeking negotiations after the event whereby they’ve already implemented the change. This obviously prohibits the union and the company from engaging in a constructive fashion and this reality clearly makes it more difficult to find a resolution to the current dispute.”
He added, “There is an opportunity to resolve this dispute but the company have to accept that their actions in the first place were wrong and they must not only show a willingness to come back to the negotiating table but also a genuine determination to agree a settlement which is acceptable to their workers.
“Our members do not want to take industrial action and are genuinely hurt and disappointed with the way their employer has treated them. We’re urging the company to act in a manner which is befitting of the perception that the public has of Marks and Spencer as a reputable employer and give their workers the respect and a resolution to this dispute that they undoubtedly deserve.”
