Labour Senator: Debenhams dispute 'a test of Government's attitude towards unionised workers'

Supporters and the eight former workers who staged the sit-in at the Debenhams store in Patrick St Cork this week. After three days, they left the store. Picture: Michael Mac Sweeney/Provision

The plight of Debenhams workers represents a test of the government's stance on unionised workers and decent employment in Ireland.

That's according to Labour party senator, and spokesperson on Employment Affairs, Media, Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht, Marie Sherlock.

Ms Sherlock says the government now faces a choice as to whether they wish to act on proposals submitted by the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) and to help resolve the ongoing dispute. 

“Over the past fortnight, the ICTU put a clear proposal to Tánaiste Leo Varadkar and Minister Damien English that could satisfactorily resolve the dispute," said Ms Sherlock.

"The proposal involves the establishment of a levy on private sector employers to ensure that the enhanced terms of a redundancy payment can be met. The need arises when workers cannot access the full terms of their collective agreement that are built into their contracts when a company goes into liquidation. 

"The levy to fund the MIBI in Ireland is a similar such model and the ICTU proposal follows what is available in a number of other countries across Europe."

Labour senator, Marie Sherlock: "If the Government are serious about protecting workers in difficult circumstances such as what the Debenhams workers have found themselves in, then they must choose to act." Picture: Sasko Lazarov/Photocallireland

Speaking on Newstalk today, Ms Sherlock stated that words were "no longer enough" when it came to the issue.

“There are clear commitments in the Programme for Government to reviewing the situation arising for workers from a liquidation. 

“This Government and the previous Fine Gael led minority Government have let the Duffy Cahill report gather dust despite all the warm words towards the Debenhams workers. 

If the Government are serious about protecting workers in difficult circumstances such as what the Debenhams workers have found themselves in, then they must choose to act.

In March, Debenhams Ireland announced that it was going into liquidation and that 1,000 jobs would be lost as a result. 

Since then, former staff members have been protesting the decision, saying that the company has not paid a previously agreed redundancy package of two weeks' pay per year of service, in addition to their two weeks' statutory pay entitlement.

A three-day occupation of Debenhams' Patrick St premises in Cork City but former staff ended this past thursday.

The workers are now urging Taoiseach Micheál Martin to "look favourably" at legislation is due to be brought forward in the Dáil next week.

The legislation would see the implementation of the recommendations outlined in the Duffy Cahill report - a report which was commissioned by the Government following the collapse of the Clerys department store chain.