COVID 19 – Protocols for Continuity of Service to Mandate Members

Thursday 12 March 2020

At this unprecedented time Mandate is determined to maintain continuity of services to Mandate Members across Ireland, through our network of offices, staff and technology. The well-being of both our members and employees are of the upmost importance to Mandate and with these priorities in mind, we have developed a number of protocols which will assist us in delivering for our members while at the same time reducing the risk to our members, staff and the public. Therefore, there will be immediate changes in the way we deliver services and interact with members, staff and the public.

• All Mandate Officials will work remotely away from our offices as and from 15 March 2020. For the moment our offices will still be staffed by our administrative staff. All enquiries should in the first instance be by telephone, email, text and our administrative staff will field such contacts to our Industrial Officials who will make contact by phone. Our Officials have been advised to limit face to face meetings to those that are essential and unavoidable.
• We would ask our members not to visit any of our offices unannounced. Please call/email first and we can discuss whether or not a meeting or a visit is necessary.
• We have instructed all Mandate suppliers and service providers not to visit our offices without an appointment.
• All training courses, our BDC Conference scheduled for 26/27 April and all business travel abroad have been cancelled until further notice.
• Continuity plans are in place to ensure continuity of services in the event of one or more of our offices having to close.
• Our Officials/Organisers/Administrative Staff will be in weekly contact by phone with all our shop stewards to ensure that our members are kept up-to-date and are not experiencing any operational/personal difficulties as a result of Employer Protocols on COVID 19. Our organising team will be confined to their base and will maintain ongoing contacts with activists and members.
• This is an evolving crisis and we will be issuing further updates to our members as time progresses, we will send SMS text messages with links to UPDATES to keep you informed.

• Mandate Trade Union Officials are in contact with all major retailers at the highest level to ensure that none of our members are put at unnecessary risk and that there will be necessary flexibility regarding working hours/shifts/holidays etc.

We understand that this is a time of great stress to Mandate members and their families, we assure you that we will do whatever it takes to limit the health risks and financial impact on our members.

If we work together and adopt safe, reasonable protocols and procedures, I believe we can beat the worst impact of COVID 19.

Yours fraternally

For Mandate Trade Union  

John Douglas

General Secretary

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CONTACT DETAILS FOR DIVISIONS

Head Office (Dublin Office)
Covering:
Dublin Central and West Division
Dublin North Division
Dublin South and Wicklow Division
Midlands Division
North Eastern Division
Phone: 01 874 6321
Email: mandate@mandate.ie

Mid-Western Division (Limerick Office)
Phone: 061 310010
Email: midwestern@mandate.ie

North and West Division (Galway Office)
Phone: 091 562750
Email: northwestern@mandate.ie

South Eastern Division (Waterford Office)
Phone: 051 874631
Email: southeastern@mandate.ie

Southern Division (Cork Office)
Phone: 021 4270101
Email: southern@mandate.ie

Western Division (Galway Office)
Phone: 091 562750
Email: western@mandate.ie