Tesco members to ballot for pay increase
Monday 24 March 2014More than 14,000 Mandate trade union members working in Tesco Ireland are currently in the process of balloting for a two percent pay increase at the retailer.
The new pay deal has been recommended for acceptance by a national meeting of shop stewards.
Mandate Assistant General Secretary Gerry Light said, “The deal on offer to our members is a straight forward pay increase with no concessions attached. We have, however, agreed to enter discussions in relation to negotiating a new national night-shift agreement which will be discussed over the next number of months and any proposals will be put to relevant members in the future.
“In addition, the company presented draft proposals regarding changes to the existing pension scheme which the union has agreed to discuss within the context of delivering a pension scheme which all members could avail of,” said Mr Light.
In relation to the two percent pay increase, Mr Light said, “At a time when our members’ disposable income has been shrinking due to increased costs of living and increased taxes and charges, it is very positive that our members have won for themselves an offer of a pay increase. It is clear that this was only won because they were united in their union.”
Mandate also praised Tesco management for their positive and cooperative engagement in relation to the pay increase and the other relevant issues.
“We’ve seen many other retailers in Ireland unilaterally introduce changes to their workers’ terms and conditions of employment. So credit should be given to Tesco who have entered mature discussions with their workers’ representatives instead of attempting to push through changes without agreement. This is how you conduct good industrial relations in 2014,” said Mr Light.
The outcome of the Tesco ballot will be known at the end of April.
