M&S staff set to back industrial action plan

Marks & Spencer is facing the potential of strike action by 2,000 staff in the run-up to Christmas over its plans to close down the defined benefit pension scheme.

Mandate trade union is in the process of completing a ballot of its members in the retail giant’s Irish operations and is predicting a resounding vote in favour of action when the count is completed next Friday.

The industrial relations landscape at M&S has been tense for a number of months since management announced it was closing stores in Dún Laoghaire, Mullingar, Naas, and Tallaght.