Retail workers demand one euro per hour raise

TRADE union Mandate is demanding a one euro per hour increase for its 25,000 members working in the retail sector.

The trade union decided not to take part in current discussions on a new national pay agreement because they provided very little for their members.

It has now served claims on major retailers, demanding a euro per hour on all existing hourly rates.

The claims also include demands for the bringing forward of the due date for the next round of wage increases, an increase in annual leave, entitlements and paid release for union activists.

The retailers include BWG Foods Limited, Roches Stores, Brown Thomas, Lifestyle, SuperValu, Clerys, Guineys, Pettits, Hickeys, Shaws, Alexon International, Boots, Debenhams, JJB Sports, Arcadia, Best, Boyers and Shoe Studios.

Separate company-specific claims have been served on Dunnes Stores, Penneys, Arnotts, Stylo, Clarks and Benson Shoes.

Mandate is seeking the harmonisation of commencement dates for pay rounds and improvements in the pension scheme operated by Dunnes Stores.

In respect of Penneys, the union wants to see the abolition of the under-18s special rate of pay, while in Arnotts, the union is calling for issues in relation to contracts of employment and the status of agency workers to be addressed.

The union has asked for separate meetings with all the companies on which claims have been issued as soon as possible.

Mandate’s national official Linda Tanham said the fact that wages of workers in her sector had fallen behind others was nothing to do with the performance of the retail and wholesale industries.

Independent research commissioned by the trade union found that while incomes of retail workers increased by 126% over the 10-year period to 2004, profits increased by 338%.

Over the same period wage increases fell 10% behind the average in the economy of just over 44%.