Mandate Trade Union has condemned the closure of the Dunnes Stores outlet in Gorey, stemming from a dispute with the property management company of the Gorey Shopping Centre over a side entrance.
The union says that the retailer is using the livelihoods of the 100 workers affected by the closure as a protest against a court injunction issued last week, which demanded that it close a side entrance to the outlet.
Mandate general secretary, John Douglas commented on the closure, “This shows the level of contempt Dunnes Stores have for their own staff and the arrogance they have when it comes to abiding by the laws of the land.”
In a letter to traders in the shopping centre, the property management agent explained that Dunnes Stores had opened a door directly to the car park that would allow customers to bypass smaller traders, and that this was a breach of their lease obligations.
“To protect the business of the small traders on the mall the receiver sought an injunction to force Dunnes Stores to close the door to the surface car park and that injunction was granted yesterday pending a formal arbitration hearing,” the letter went on.
Douglas said, “The anxiety, uncertainty and stress this has caused those 100 workers in Gorey is totally unnecessary and unacceptable. Senior management in Dunnes Stores should be ashamed of themselves.
“It’s bad enough that the company won’t give their workers secure hours and a living wage, but now they’re playing games with people’s lives over a side entrance to the business,” he concluded.
However, it was announced today that both sides in the dispute have agreed to a stay being placed on the injunction, allowing the store to reopen for two months.
© 2015 - Checkout Magazine by Jenny Whelan.
