Dunnes Members Communication March 2023 #4

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UPDATE ON OUR EFFORTS TO SECURE FAIR AND JUST WORKING CONDITIONS FOR DUNNES WORKERS

Dear Members,

We wanted to provide you with an update on our ongoing efforts to secure fair and just working conditions for all Dunnes workers. As you are aware, we recently conducted a national survey to identify the top priorities of Dunnes workers from the remaining aspects of your Pay and Benefits Claim.

During the two weeks that the survey ran, we saw a large number of Dunnes workers take part and give detailed feedback on what matters most to you. The survey findings indicate that the following issues are of utmost importance, ranked in order of priority:

  1. Additional Annual Leave
  2. One Equal Pay Scale
  3. Longer Paid Sick Leave
  4. Full-Time Jobs and Extra Hours
  5. Fair Scheduling
  6. Paid Maternity and Paternity Leave

We have now written to Dunnes Management to follow up on your Pay and Benefits Claim, highlighting the importance of the priorities you identified in the survey. We have requested the company to respond quiclky as to how they are going to address these issues.

You can read the Pay and Benefits Claim Letter at https://tinyurl.com/DunnesPayBenefitsLetter.

We also asked for feedback in the survey on what actions or initiatives the union should focus on this year. We received excellent feedback on this question, with more union meetings (in-person/online/one2one, etc.) being the most popular answer. Some other suggestions were:

  • More newsletters
  • Extra training for members
  • Information on your rights
  • Improved communication
  • Access to full-time hours
  • Cycle to Work Scheme

This feedback will form the basis for the union’s work on your behalf in 2023.

Additionally, we have sent a letter regarding the establishment of a Banded Hours Agreement in Dunnes Stores, following on from the findings in the “Smoke and Mirrors” (15952_smoke&mirrors_report_interior) report commissioned by Mandate. 

This report has revealed that nearly two-thirds of retail workers are earning less than €451 per week, which is mainly due to the relatively low number of working hours available to retail workers. We are calling for legislative change to enable workers to work more than their ‘Banded-Hours’ contracts where extra working hours are available.

You can read the Banded Hours Agreement Letter at https://tinyurl.com/DunnesBandedHoursLetter.

We encourage all members to read these letters and stay informed about the issues that affect you in the workplace. We will keep you updated on any developments in these matters and will continue to work tirelessly to ensure that your voices are heard and that your rights as workers are upheld.

Your feedback and participation are crucial in our efforts to secure fair and just working conditions for all Dunnes workers. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact your local Mandate Official or Union office.

In solidarity,

The Dunnes National Committee