Mandate to seek increase in minimum pay for Tesco employees

Mandate is to lodge a pay claim with Tesco on behalf of the 8,000 workers it represents.

The trade union is seeking an increase in the minimum pay at the supermarket chain to €11.90 per hour. This is the living wage and is paid to workers at Aldi and Lidl.

For some workers, it would represent an increase of 12% in hourly wages.

For staff who started between 1996 and 2006, it would mean a 3% pay increase.

915631[/reamdore]Addressing union members, Mandate assistant general secretary, Gerry Light, said they believe that the claim 'is both reasonable and achievable'."On the issue of pay we are seeking the introduction of a pay scale with a starting point of no less than €11.90 per hour - the living wage - and a top point of no less than €16 per hour," he said."The introduction of this type of a structure will go a long way to ensure greater pay equality amongst all workers in Tesco which is something that is crucially important to many of you.

We are also calling for the creation of 1,000 full-time jobs along with fairer work roster scheduling and significantly full recognition of your right to be individually and collectively represented by Mandate Trade Union.

More than 2,000 Mandate members have been surveyed in relation to the pay claim, Mr Light added."Fundamentally this is about pay-equality and providing all workers in the company with a living wage which would help them to lead productive lives," he said.A spokesperson for Tesco Ireland said, "2018 was the sixth consecutive year Tesco paid a 2% pay rise. The 2% pay award was on top of a combined 6% pay increase already awarded to colleagues, which delivers a combined 8% pay increase since 2015.

These pay increases and our overall terms of employment still remain better in many respects to those of our competitors in a very challenging and competitive market.