VIDEO: ‘They thought we’d back down, but we didn’t’ - Dunnes Stores workers
Anyone who did pass the picket line could be found skulking around the shelves, while workers at a loose end huddled together to talk about their comrades on the street outside.
The atmosphere beyond the walls was a different matter — placard-wearing workers paced back and forth on the pavement, passers-by willingly distributed words of encouragement, and lines of cars beeped their horns in support.
The strike ensured tumbleweed was the order of the day for most Dunnes outlets nationwide. Workers want Dunnes to give them stable hours and to treat them with ‘dignity and respect’.
“I was down to 22 hours and they were spread over four or five days. It’s unbelievable pressure — I can’t pay my bills at the end of the week even.
“ I can’t plan from one week to the next because I don’t know what hours I’ll be down for,” said one worker, who asked not to be identified in case she would be disciplined for speaking to the press.
“I don’t deserve this, because I want to work. But I’m being prevented from earning. At least if they only wanted me three days a week I could claim for the other two, not that I would want to do that, but as a last resort.
“But they won’t, they’ll put me on a few hours here and there and spread them out over four and five days.”
Workers also spoke of a poor relationship between management and staff. They are afraid their hours will be cut for participating in the strike.
“Our hours are going to be cut because we’re standing outside with placards around our necks. We’ll go into work on Friday and our hours are going to be dropped down.
“ We want more hours, better conditions to work in, for the management to stop bullying staff,” said one woman.
Lisa, from Cork, said there was an awful vibe in work as soon as management heard about the strike.
“This is going on now six weeks. As soon as they heard the strike was going ahead it started — the intimidation and the communication meetings.
“Everyone was brought upstairs and we were threatened that our hours would be cut if we took part in the strike. It’s getting so bad.
“Decency and fair pay. We’re looking for banded contract hours. It could be an all-out strike the next time. It’s not going to stop.
“I’d say Dunnes thought we were going to back down. But we didn’t, and I’m glad we didn’t.”
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