Up to 30 staff stage sit-in after landmark shop closes

Up to 30 workers in a famous Limerick confectionery and deli shop started a sit-in yesterday following the shock announcement on Monday that the business was closing with immediate effect.

Ivan’s, in Caherdavin, run by businessman Ivan Cremin for the past 38 years, was a landmark in the city’s grocery sector.

However, staff claimed that pay cheques had bounced and they had not received necessary forms from the business to enable them claim social welfare entitlements.

One worker, who asked not to be named, said: “All we want is our letters to say the shop is closed down. That is all we’re looking for. We all have appointments in the dole office, but we can’t go in their without these forms. We are staying and we are not leaving until we get what we are entitled to.”

The store closed suddenly on Monday.

Michael Kiely of Siptu said: “On Sunday night, the staff should have been given their P45 and a letter for the social welfare and the form to claim redundancy. I had to go in this morning and get forms and bring them out to the staff.”

Management met with staff yesterday, but some issues have yet to be resolved.

It is believed Ivan’s had been hit by the opening of a number of large retail outlets in the Caherdavin area in recent years.