SIPTU retail staff working at Tesco Ireland have voted in favour of industrial action, after what the union has said was ‘an attempt by the company to unilaterally enforce pay cuts and changes to work patterns’.
The action is being taken after Tesco ‘refused to fully implement’ a Labour Court recommendation awarding staff a 2% pay increase, to staff that are on contracts dating from pre-1996.
“Instead, the company is attempting to enforce pay cuts of between 15% and 35% from the 18th April, along with other changes to work patterns and loss of bonuses, on long serving staff,” said SIPTU Sector Organiser, Teresa Hannick.
“This is a situation that our members cannot accept. The failure of management to engage in meaningful discussions with our members regarding this issue and its refusal to attend a Labour Court hearing has left them with no option but to take industrial action.”
SIPTU represents Tesco retail staff in the company’s stores in Portlaoise, Cavan, Edenderry, Mullingar, Athlone, Douglas in Cork and in-store butchers throughout the country.
Last week, Tesco Ireland said that it was “disappointed” that SIPTU, along with Mandate Trade Union, was balloting its members for industrial action.
"It is really disappointing that the Trade Union has decided to adopt this position when the vast majority of our store colleagues have received the benefits of the recent Labour Court recommendation and when we remain open to discussions with the Trade Unions in regard to our pre-1996 colleagues,” a spokesperson said.
© 2016 - Checkout Magazine by Stephen Wynne-Jones
