Tesco workers in two north west stores vote for strike ahead of Christmas
Tesco workers in Sligo and Carrick-on Shannon have voted overwhelmingly in favour of industrial action.
Mandate Trade Union has served notice that Sligo workers will strike this Thursday, 6th December and again on Friday, 14th December. The Carrick-on-Shannon workers will strike on Saturday, 22nd December.
Tesco, in response, have stated that Mandate is "in breach of the company and union’s agreed procedures which are to refer disputes to the Workplace Relations Commission". Tesco have called on Mandate to call of off its one-day strike threats in the two stores
Mandate revealed that the Sligo store voted in favour of industrial action by a margin of 97pc, with an 85pc turnout in the ballot. Carrick-on-Shannon also had an 85pc turnout, with 81pc voting in favour of strike.
Mandate Trade Union General Secretary John Douglas said: “It’s extremely disappointing it has come to this. Our members do not want to be on strike, particularly in the run up to Christmas, but unfortunately Tesco management have left them with no alternative."
He said for the last three years Tesco management appear determined not to engage with Mandate.
He said: “They have refused to engage with their workers on pay and conditions of employment, on the removal of canteens and break room facilities, they have refused to pay some workers a cost of living pay increase for four consecutive years, and crucially, they have breached collective agreements which they freely entered into with their workers.”
In their statement, Mandate say the industrial action in the Sligo and Carrick-on-Shannon stores "could easily spread to the other 150 stores."
Tesco response
In response Tesco are calling on Mandate to call off its one-day strike threats in two stores.
They say Mandate is in breach of the company and union’s agreed procedures which are to refer disputes to the Workplace Relations Commission.
Tesco state that should the "unwarranted" one-day strike action proceed at the two stores, both will continue to remain open to serve customers.
Their statement adds: "We regret that Mandate is inflicting this inconvenience on our customers in December when our stores are at their busiest and particularly given these stores are close to the Border.
"We call on Mandate to abide by procedures and to immediately withdraw its strike notices for Sligo and Carrick-on-Shannon. A conciliation conference on the two issues in Sligo was scheduled at the Workplace Relations Commission for October 24th but was rejected by Mandate. In Carrick-on-Shannon, the matters have not yet been referred back to the WRC by Mandate. Tesco has always abided by agreed procedures and we expect Mandate to do the same."
"Tesco continues to offer the best pay and benefits in our sector. Against what remains a very challenging and competitive market place, retail price deflation, and sterling weakness – this year Tesco Ireland again awarded a 2% pay increase in April 2018 for in scope colleagues. In addition this year we awarded between 2% and 5% bonus meaning that most colleagues have received a combined benefit of between 4% and 7% in 2018 alone. The 2% pay award is on top of a combined 6% pay increase already awarded to our colleagues since 2015, which deliver a combined 8% pay increase since 2015. These pay increases and our overall terms of employment still remain better in many respects to those of our competitors in the market and in a difficult competitive environment.
"Along with offering the best pay and benefits in our sector we're really proud to continue to receive from our colleagues official accreditation as a Great Place to Work. We are the only retailer to give every colleague a banded hour contract guaranteeing them minimum hours each week across all of our stores and more than 50% of our colleagues work 30 hours or more every week. We are also the only retailer to give all colleagues their rosters four weeks in advance."