Marks & Spencer workers vote to strike
Marks & Spencer workers across Ireland to strike in the lead up to Christmas following closure of workers' pension scheme without agreement
Print2 December 2013
Workers in Marks & Spencer stores across Ireland voted in favour of industrial action
Last week workers in Marks & Spencer stores across Ireland voted, with a margin of 94%, in favour of industrial actions following the closure of the workers’ pension scheme with no agreement between the parties.
The trade union which represents the majority of the 2,300 employees in Ireland, Mandate, has written to management to inform them of the planned industrial action.
The strike action will take place in 17 stores nationally on Saturday, 7 December with two further pickets planned for Thursday, 12 December and Friday, 20 December.
The disagreement between management and staff stems from 31 October when Marks & Spencer management closed the workers’ defined benefit pension scheme without agreement and informed the workers that their retirement fund is a ‘discretionary benefit’.
Mandate also reports that the company put forwards proposals to reduce the number of section managers, to reduce staff’s Sunday and Public Holiday premium and to eliminate the Christmas bonus.
Mandate has condemned these proposals saying in a statement on its website that these proposals are "unjustified and are an opportunistic attack on long established terms and conditions of employment for their loyal workers".
Commenting on the announcement of industrial action Mandate assistant general secretary, Gerry Light, said: "While we fully recognise that some employers in the retail sector are struggling and that Marks & Spencer, like many, are operating with reduced profits, the company have given their workers absolutely no satisfactory proof that the permanent withdrawal of terms and conditions of employment is necessary or justified."
Light also added: ""Mandate has traditionally had a good relationship with Marks & Spencer, however, in recent months the company has made many decisions which are baffling and shocking to the union and our members and if implemented would impact negatively upon them and their families."
While no agreement was reached in meetings in the lead up vote for industrial action Light says that Mandate and the employees it represents are willing to enter into discussions on cost savings however he stresses that they must be carried out in an open and transparent manner for all parties.
An M&S spokesperson said: "M&S has done all it can to try and move this situation forward so we are extremely disappointed that the company has been given notice that strike action has been called. We are fully prepared to reopen talks at any time either locally or at the Labour Relations Commission in order to avoid the impact on our customers and employees in the run up to Christmas."
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