Thousands of Dunnes workers and supporters to march on Dunnes Head Office today

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Up to 5,000 Dunnes Stores workers and supporters from all over Ireland are set to march on Dunnes Stores Head Office on Georges Street, Dublin 2 today (Saturday, 6th June) at 1pm.

They will assemble at Merrion Square, Dublin 2 before making their way over to Dunnes Head Office where a number of speeches will be made.

Today’s march is part of the workers’ Decency for Dunnes Workers campaign which includes four key demands:

  • Secure hours and incomes.
  • Job security.
  • Fair pay.
  • The right to representation.

Thousands of workers in Dunnes do not know what hours they’ll have on a week-to-week basis and consequently their income can fluctuate from approximately €144 per week to €400 per week. Mandate say workers need certainty of earnings.

Gerry Light, Mandate Assistant General Secretary said: “It is totally unacceptable that a local manager in Dunnes Stores can pick and choose which individual members of staff will be able to provide for their families at the end of a week.

“There are many Dunnes workers who have been with the company for up to 10 years doing 35 hours per week, only to have their hours slashed overnight and the company then hires new staff on lower wages. This is a complete abuse of power and it must be stopped.”

Mr Light added, “Today is about decency and respect in the workplace. Every worker in Ireland, whether a retail worker, restaurant worker, cleaner, teacher or nurse – whether in the private or public sector – they should all have secure hours and earn a living wage.

“Dunnes Stores makes up to €350 million in profit annually and the owners have accumulated an estimated €1.78 billion in wealth, so this is not about the inability of Dunnes to treat their workers fairly, it’s about their unwillingness to do so. Today, Dunnes workers, members of the wider trade union movement and the public will send a strong message to Dunnes Stores and all other unscrupulous employers,” said Mr Light.

“We want decent work and a living wage for all.”

Dunnes Stores is one of the largest private sector employers in the Republic of Ireland employing more than 9,000 workers in 114 stores.