Category Archives: Newsletter

DUNNES MEMBERS COMMUNICATION MAY 2023

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UKG DIMENSIONS APP TRIAL: ADDRESSING MEMBER CONCERNS

Dear Members,

In response to the feedback we received from our members regarding the trial of the new UKG Dimensions App in several stores, we have reached out to Dunnes Management to express your concerns. The app, which is intended for staff to check their rosters, book annual leave, and request days off, is set to be implemented across all Dunnes locations starting August 2023. Our priority is to ensure that our members’ best interests are taken into account throughout the process.

We have asked Dunnes Management to address a number of concerns and provide clarification on the following points:

1. Ensuring all staff receive appropriate training and support for using the app effectively.
2. Providing a facility for staff to access the app in-store, for those who do not wish to use it on their personal devices.
3. Maintaining the option for staff to continue using the current paper-based system for rosters, annual leave, and days off.
4. Allowing staff to perform tasks such as booking annual leave and day off requests during their rostered hours.
5. Clarification on data-related concerns, including storage, GDPR compliance, and data protection measures.

Furthermore, we have requested that the company maintains its commitment to providing staff with four-week rosters and ensures the app will not be used to change staff rosters at short notice and without agreement.

To view the full letter sent to the company, please click here: https://tinyurl.com/DunnesLetterMay23

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

Your feedback and participation are essential in our efforts to promote fair and just working conditions for all Dunnes workers. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact your local Mandate Official or Union office.

In solidarity,

The Dunnes National Committee

How to Turn Off Location Tracking for the UKG Dimensions App

For your privacy, you might want to disable location tracking for the UKG Dimensions App on your smartphone. Here are the instructions for both iPhone and Android devices:

iPhone:

1. Open the ‘Settings’ app.
2. Scroll down and tap on ‘Privacy’.
3. Tap on ‘Location Services’.
4. Scroll down to find the ‘UKG Dimensions’ app in the list and tap on it.
5. Select ‘Never’ to prevent the app from accessing your location.

Android:

1. Open the ‘Settings’ app.
2. Tap on ‘Location’.
3. Tap on ‘App access to location’.
4. Find the ‘UKG Dimensions’ app in the list and tap on it.
5. Select ‘Deny’ to prevent the app from accessing your location.

Please note that the exact steps might vary slightly depending on the specific version of your operating system.

Why Join a Union?

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Trade unions have been fighting for workers’ rights for over a century. Mandate Trade Union represents workers in Dunnes and is dedicated to securing better pay, working conditions, and employment rights for its members.

By becoming a member of Mandate, which is a member-led organisation, workers have the opportunity to have their voices heard, and to collectively work towards a more equitable and just workplace.

Why Join a Trade Union?

Being a member of Mandate offers numerous benefits, including:

  • Collective Strength: Unions can fight for better wages, benefits, and working conditions for workers as they have the backing of a larger group of employees.
  • Professional Representation: Members have access to professional representation from our union officials who can provide assistance when needed and representation in 3rd party cases such as unfair dismissal or discrimination etc.
  • Employment Rights Advice: Members have access to employment rights advice, which can help them navigate employment law and understand their rights as workers. 
  • Advocacy: Unions campaign and advocate for workers’ rights on a national platform, ensuring that their voices are heard, and their needs are met.
  • Education & training: Mandate offers a range of training and education opportunities to their members to help them develop their skills and knowledge.
  • Organising & Campaigning Advice: Mandate can provide advice and guidance on organising and campaigning for workers’ rights, ensuring that workers have a voice in their workplace.
  • Support: Mandate provides support to its members when they need it most, such as during disputes with employers, collective actions in store/national or individual representation etc.

How to Join Mandate

Joining Mandate is easy and can be done in two ways:

  • Click this link www.joinmandate.ie and complete the online form. Payments will be made via your debit card and can be weekly or monthly.

Or

  • Complete the physical application form which you can request to have posted to your address by clicking here and send it back via free post to our office. Payments will be made via direct debit and will be monthly.

Dunnes Workers on Why They Joined Mandate:

Getting Involved in the Union:

Being an active Union member helps to strengthen your union and ensure that workers’ voices are heard. Here are some ways that you can get involved:

  • Collective actions: When issues arise in your store talk to other workers and try to gather support for the grievance. The more people involved, the stronger the case can be. Consider organising a meeting, survey or a petition to demonstrate the level of concern among employees. Find out more about grievances and complaints in Dunnes by clicking  https://tinyurl.com/DunnesGrievanceComplaint.
  • Attend Union Meetings: Mandate holds regular meetings where members can discuss issues affecting their workplace and the union. Attending a meeting is a great way to meet other members and get involved in the unions activities.
  • Join Committees Or Local Councils: Mandate have committees that focus on specific areas such as the Youth Committee campaigning on issues affecting young people, Dunnes National committee campaigning on issues affecting Dunnes workers etc., and local Union councils that focus on issues in your area. Joining a committee or local Union council can help you to develop your skills and knowledge and make a difference in your workplace.
  • Take Training Courses: Mandate offers a range of training courses to its members, from basic employment law to advanced leadership skills. Taking a course can help you take a leading role in the union and become a more effective advocate for workers’ rights.
  • Campaign For Workers’ Rights: Mandate campaigns for better pay, improved working conditions, and stronger job security for its members. Getting involved in a campaign is a great way to make a difference in your workplace and contribute to the wider labour movement.

Mandate’s successful campaigning in Dunnes has shown the importance of a strong union in securing better pay and working conditions for workers. However, every non-member in the company weakens our collective voice and our ability to improve working conditions further. 

It is for this reason we actively engaging with non-members to encourage them to consider joining the union, in order to empower them to stand up for their rights and make a positive difference in their workplace.

If you would like more information or have any questions, please contact us at dunnesworkers@mandate.ie. 

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

Advice for Mandate members on grievances, complaints, investigations and disciplinaries

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Grievance or Complaint

Advice for Dunnes Stores members if raising a grievance or making a complaint at work:

  • Ensure that the grievance has been lodged in writing to management and keep a copy for your own records.
  • Make sure to ask questions and know the facts before meeting management.
  • Always ensure that a copy of the Dunnes Stores Grievance Procedure is to hand.
  • Collect any paperwork or agreements relating to the issue.
  • Advise members not to attend a meeting alone, bring your shop-steward or a colleague you trust.
  • Always record the date, the venue, who was present, the time that the meeting started and the time it finished, what was discussed and what the outcome was.
  • If you need to take a break request this, if this is refused note the refusal.
  • Keep information that is disclosed confidential.
  • Keep your Mandate Official updated on any developments. Always Keep any records you have in a safe secure place.

Investigation/Disciplinary Meetings

What to do if you are notified that you are to attend a meeting with your employer:

  • Always find out what the meeting is about.
  • ls it an Investigatory or a Disciplinary Meeting?
  • Make sure you have a Shop Steward or a Witness with you.
  • If there is no one available try to have the meeting rescheduled.
  • Make sure you have a colleague/witness that will take notes of the meeting (in a third-party case these notes are equally as relevant as managements notes)
  • Make sure you understand exactly what allegations are being made or what is being investigated before giving any response.
  • Request copies of any statements or other evidence (e.g., CCTV) that the company are relying on.
  • Request a copy of the company policy and the relevant section the company are referring to.
  • Request a copy of all the notes the company have taken at a meeting.

If as a result of an investigation meeting you are then invited to attend a disciplinary hearing all of the above will apply.

Make sure your Union Official is made aware of the meeting and the outcome.

Remember It is important to use the internal appeal process following the outcome of the Disciplinary hearing if you are not satisfied with the outcome, or feel the sanction is unfair or too severe.

Your Mandate Official will advise on Third Party Referral should this avenue be available and beneficial to the member.

Mandate contact details are available here.