Marks & Spencer is reportedly seeking redundancies across 18 Irish stores.
Trade unions Mandate and Siptu will ballot staff later this month on the proposed redundancy plan, reports the Sunday Independent.
The proposal, recommended by the two unions for acceptance, was based on “realities” listed in a document, seen by the Sunday Independent.
According to the newspaper the document stated, “Our sales in Ireland had already been in decline prior to COVID-19".
Online Shopping Accelerated
“The migration to online shopping accelerated significantly during COVID-19 and this will continue going forward. People working from home and lack of tourists on the ground has impacted our sales in our city centre stores. This will continue for the foreseeable future," it said.
“A very low turnover rate means that we have original staffing levels in these stores despite a significant decrease in sales and a number of contracts which may no longer be appropriate to the current retail environment and business,” stated the document.
"This had resulted in M&S having 250 staff too many across 15 of its 18 Irish stores, although eligible staff at Omni Park and Clarion Quay, both in Dublin, and at Letterkenny, would also be entitled to apply for the redundancy programme ahead of a deadline at the end of this month," it added.
The Sunday Independent reports that the British retailer's flagship stores in Grafton St and Mary St in Dublin and Patrick St in Cork, as well as at Liffey Valley and Dundrum shopping centres, could be most affected.
However, it is believed that staff at all 18 stores with 10 years’ service could apply for the redundancy.
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