Iceland workers stage protest at Dublin store

Employees and their supporters pictured at the Iceland store in Coolock today. Staff have occupied the store in protest after they arrived to work this morning to find the store had been closed and shuttered with no notice. Photograph: Leah Farrell / RollingNews.ie

Iceland Ireland has been accused of treating its staff “disgracefully” after staff at its Coolock location turned up for work yesterday but the store was closed.

On Tuesday, the High Court appointed an interim examiner to Metron Stores Limited, the company that operates the Iceland chain of retail stores in Ireland.

The company operates 26 Iceland stores in the Republic of Ireland and employs more than 344 people.

On Wednesday morning, a staff member at the Coolock store posted on Facebook saying that they turned up for work but the place was closed and as a result were out of the job.

Outside the store today, Jeanette Joyce, one of the staff members at the Coolock location, told the Irish Examiner the last four months have been a “nightmare” for those working for Iceland and said some staff.

"The union rep has touched base with the examiner to see if we can get some clarity and if we've got a job. We just want it in writing that we will be paid holiday pay, wages only back money owed and our redundancy.” 

On Thursday last week, Iceland had been ordered to recall and withdraw all imported frozen food of animal origin brought into the country since March 3 by the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI).

Counsel for Iceland told the court on Tuesday that the FSAI's move was a precautionary step caused by several alleged breaches of food legislation and that it complied with the order.

The reason behind the alleged breaches is that the products in question were imported into the UK and then Ireland.

After the food recall last week, staff said they didn’t believe the situation would snowball as quickly as it did.

When asked if they are planning any further protests, Ms Joyce said they would liaise with the union.

Later, Labour TD Aodhán Ó Ríordáin arrived down at the store where he reported that staff members were not inside the store and Gardaí were present.

In a statement, Mr Ó Ríordáin said the situation was “crazy” and the workers were treated “disgracefully”.

He said Enterprise Minister Simon Coveney needs to “urgently find a pathway to consultation with these workers” to make sure they are not out of pocket in terms of wages owed and any potential redundancy payments they may be entitled to.