Mandate launch survey for all workers in retail sector in Ireland

Wednesday 8 June 2022

Covid-19 has transformed large swathes of the economy in a remarkable and generally not very positive way. Few areas of the economy have experience bigger levels of shock, than the retail sector and indeed the workers who have remained working within the sector during this period of time have experienced the devastation that the pandemic has caused.

Delivering for the future

In reflecting on the past and formulating a plan for the future Mandate Trade Union must grasp the opportunity to reshape the sector in a way that delivers for our members and whilst collectively bargaining for pay and benefits have been traditionally the cornerstone of the Union’s bargaining strategy, other concerns now also require further advocation and understanding, such as climate action and job-sustainability, ethical trading standards, the impact of precarious working on living standards for workers within retail and how these issues can influence and impact the future of collective bargaining for our members.

Research

To this end Mandate has commissioned research and an analysis of precarious work within the retail industry and its impact on earning levels, having regard to the various elements that impact wage earnings, such as the uncertainty of working patterns and the flexibility associated with earning levels.  Their effect on cost and quality of living standards, as well as social integration etc. will also be examined.

Social implications

The research will also explore the broader social concerns of climate inaction and sustainable employment/ethical trading standards across the retail sector that impact on all workers through the supply chain.

Understanding the sector

The following survey is an important part of this industry wide research, which is to profile the average earning levels within the industry and to examine workers access to fulltime jobs, additional hours, as well as investigating the flexible precarious nature of rosters within the industry and the overall impact on our members costs of living. Our research is due to be published in September 2022 and we hope that your contribution will support our campaign to bring about change in relation to the above.

Closing Date

The closing date for completion of this survey is Sunday, 31^st July 2022.

Complete the survey here.