Staff at Dunnes Stores vote for industrial action

ColeTrain · 06-03-2015 06:40PM #1

Staff at the retailer Dunnes Stores have voted to undertake industrial action in a dispute over pay, contracts and representation rights.
The trade union Mandate said 67 per cent of its members at the company voted in favour of industrial action.
The union’s assistant general secretary Gerry Light said its national disputes committee would consider the result of the ballot early next week and determine the nature and timing of any industrial action.
Mandate said its members in Dunnes Stores were seeking the implementation of banded hour contracts which would give workers security of hours and earnings, fair pay for workers, a review of “excessive use” of temporary contracts of employment and individual and collective representation rights in the company.

http://www.irishtimes.com/business/staff-at-dunnes-stores-vote-for-industrial-action-1.2129165

Fair play to the workers. Dunnes are renowned for treating staff poorly.

Wide Load · 06-03-2015 06:42PM

Good to hear. Anyone I've known who has worked in Dunnes had some horror stories for me.

bodice ripper · 06-03-2015 06:42PM

That job was so bad that I got my hands tattooed to ensure it could never happen again.

Gatling · 06-03-2015 06:46PM

Wonder how long before they start laying off now

Lollipops23 · 06-03-2015 06:47PM

Fair play to them. And people say trade unions are no longer necessary.

When companies take the absolute Michael with 6 hr a week contracts and the like, it's great that employees fight back.

bodice ripper · 06-03-2015 06:49PM

Lollipops23 wrote: »

Fair play to them. And people say trade unions are no longer necessary.

When companies take the absolute Michael with 6 hr a week contracts and the like, it's great that employees fight back.

But it has been like that forever. And when i worked there, you had to join the union and pay dues to a huge organisation which had no interest in little things like retail staff. **** that.

Lollipops23 · 06-03-2015 06:54PM

bodice ripper wrote: »

But it has been like that forever. And when i worked there, you had to join the union and pay dues to a huge organisation which had no interest in little things like retail staff. **** that.

I don't like the "having to join" part; it should always be voluntary.

Don't forget Dunnes went on strike back in the 80s when workers refused to handle goods from South Africa (before Apartheid ended). Worked out fairly well, plenty of other companies followed suit in boycotting goods from SA (my father was the one who stopped Clerys stocking SA footwear

)

Cantona's Collars · 06-03-2015 06:56PM

Lollipops23 wrote: »

Fair play to them. And people say trade unions are no longer necessary.

When companies take the absolute Michael with 6 hr a week contracts and the like, it's great that employees fight back.

I know a girl working on short hour contracts which has the hours split over the week so she can't even claim the dole due to being "unavailable for work".Rather than giving her the hours over consecutive days,they are split up over the week,4 hours one day,6 another,2 another,etc.

I worked for Dunnes back in the day when I was just young and had to resort to threaten violence on one Jr.Manager to get off work on time to attend an important meeting,my working day was actually over but he did all he could to delay me just for spite.Came into work the next day expecting the worst but found he was being moved on after other employees threatened to walk if he didn't.
I had a chance to go back there recently as work was slack with me,needless to say,I avoided it like the plague.

06-03-2015 06:58PM

I used to work for Dunnes if we finished at six we weren't let go until seven until the place was clean, The doors would be locked and the manager had the keys so we couldn't get out when I asked to let out I was told were not finished yet

Cuddlesworth · 06-03-2015 07:07PM

Am I the only person who worked for Dunnes and thought it was a normal part-time shelf stacker job?

bodice ripper · 06-03-2015 07:08PM

Cuddlesworth wrote: »

Am I the only person who worked for Dunnes and thought it was a normal part-time shelf stacker job?

Yes. Its an internship now.

K4t · 06-03-2015 07:12PM

Deleted User wrote: »

I used to work for Dunnes if we finished at six we weren't let go until seven until the place was clean, The doors would be locked and the manager had the keys so we couldn't get out when I asked to let out I was told were not finished yet

Memo to Joan Burton: That is false imprisonment!

Nodin · 06-03-2015 07:13PM

Cuddlesworth wrote: »

Am I the only person who worked for Dunnes and thought it was a normal part-time shelf stacker job?

My first ever job - and bear in mind this is over 30 years ago - was supposed to be part-time in Dunnes as some sort of shop assistant/shelf stacker. Started at 11 or 12 and was packing shelves, telling customers where stuff was, packing bags etc. At about 3 I asked when you could get a cup of tea. I got a glare that would melt stone and was told "part-timers don't get breaks". After the place closed it was out with the pricing gun and putting up stuff on shelves. Got out of their about 8.45.9.00. Never went back.

Cuddlesworth · 06-03-2015 07:13PM

bodice ripper wrote: »

Yes. Its an internship now.

Why would anybody take a internship stacking shelves? It takes the whole of a hour to learn, has no little to no career prospects and pays peanuts.

rawn · 06-03-2015 07:16PM

Cuddlesworth wrote: »

Am I the only person who worked for Dunnes and thought it was a normal part-time shelf stacker job?

When I first worked for Dunnes back in 2005 it was normal. Went back in 2011 and it was totally different. I was full-time flexi and always worked over 4 days, even when I only got 15 hours. I was promised a permanent contract if I did well but they let me go just before my 2nd temporary contract ran out. Turns out they haven't given a permanent contract in years. It's cheaper to just rehire new, cheaper staff every few months. A girl I know who has worked there for years is always telling me about how badly the permanent staff are treated, it's like they're trying to make them miserable so they will quit, leaving all the temporary staff. They have all had their hours cut to the bone, but were made to hand out fliers advertising job positions to the customers. It's absolutely shocking treatment and I don't know if there's regulations for that kind of thing but there should be.

Gatling · 06-03-2015 07:17PM

Cuddlesworth wrote: »

Why would anybody take a internship stacking shelves? It takes the whole of a hour to learn, has no little to no career prospects and pays peanuts.

It's customer care and stock control operative or something along those lines now .

ColeTrain · 06-03-2015 07:17PM

Cuddlesworth wrote: »

Why would anybody take a internship stacking shelves? It takes the whole of a hour to learn, has no little to no career prospects and pays peanuts.

Unfortunately not everyone is in a position to turn down work, even if it is a poorly paid internship.

Mesrine65 · 06-03-2015 07:17PM

Cuddlesworth wrote: »

Why would anybody take a internship stacking shelves? It takes the whole of a hour to learn, has no little to no career prospects and pays peanuts.

Cuddlesworth · 06-03-2015 07:56PM

rawn wrote: »

When I first worked for Dunnes back in 2005 it was normal. Went back in 2011 and it was totally different. I was full-time flexi and always worked over 4 days, even when I only got 15 hours. I was promised a permanent contract if I did well but they let me go just before my 2nd temporary contract ran out. Turns out they haven't given a permanent contract in years. It's cheaper to just rehire new, cheaper staff every few months. A girl I know who has worked there for years is always telling me about how badly the permanent staff are treated, it's like they're trying to make them miserable so they will quit, leaving all the temporary staff. They have all had their hours cut to the bone, but were made to hand out fliers advertising job positions to the customers. It's absolutely shocking treatment and I don't know if there's regulations for that kind of thing but there should be.

Interesting, I would have worked there during 2000-1. I do remember the unions striking for a period over something really stupid. A fair number of temp staff were hired Ireland wide easily enough during that period, with the strike having no noticeable effect on operations besides driving some customers away. I suppose looking back the unions actions at the time might have been counterproductive in the long term for employees.

Lollipops23 · 06-03-2015 07:59PM

Cuddlesworth wrote: »

...with the strike having no noticeable effect on operations besides driving some customers away.

I know I would not, in good conscience, be able to cross a picket line to do my shopping. I was raised to believe scabs were scum.

mikemac1 · 06-03-2015 08:03PM

Are junior managers part of the union too? They are retail staff too after all

Or is there a sharp divide and managers not matter how lowly paid won't join?

FalconGirl · 06-03-2015 08:06PM

bodice ripper wrote: »

Yes. Its an internship now.

It should be illegal to advertise stacking shelves or the likes as an internship. But hey if it helps the reduce unemployment figures.................

questionmark? · 06-03-2015 08:36PM

I know someone who left Dunnes as they cut his hours to 15 per week over four days, seems they dont want people to be able to sign on the other days of the week, probably saves paperwork and allows them to call them in when it suits them.

kneemos · 06-03-2015 08:41PM

mikemac1 wrote: »

Are junior managers part of the union too? They are retail staff too after all

Or is there a sharp divide and managers not matter how lowly paid won't join?

No manager junior or otherwise would join a union.
Even those wanting to climb the ladder wouldn't join.Strictly for plebs.

mikeym · 06-03-2015 08:42PM

My brother works there and his hours are brutal.

If there was a strike it would be disastrous for Dunnes Stores.

macker33 · 08-03-2015 01:13AM

The problem with strike action is that the people voting in favour of strike action are the people who can afford to strike.

My sister wont cross the picket even though she still has to pay her mortgage, even one day actions are going to fvck her up.
What the fvck is wrong with dunnes?

_Tombstone_ · 08-03-2015 01:20AM

macker33 wrote: »

The problem with strike action is that the people voting in favour of strike action are the people who can afford to strike.

My sister wont cross the picket even though she still has to pay her mortgage, even one day actions are going to fvck her up.
What the fvck is wrong with dunnes?

To much money, out of touch.

Perma-tanes.

Baby Jane · 08-03-2015 02:08AM

Cuddlesworth wrote: »

Am I the only person who worked for Dunnes and thought it was a normal part-time shelf stacker job?

Yeh I'd say the horror stories might be branch specific (I have known people to have found it grand to work in, and decent for hours flexibility if they were in college - also not the lowest paying of supermarkets/department stores) but there are still a lot of horror stories.
Fair play in this case I think. I know unions can take the piss but it's still important for workers in the private sector to have some sort of protection (because god knows not all of them do).

Rosie Rant · 08-03-2015 02:50AM

I hated every minute I spent in that place. Well done to them!!

StudentDad · 08-03-2015 03:02AM

Rosie Rant wrote: »

I hated every minute I spent in that place. Well done to them!!

I went for a job with Dunnes years ago. Nothing special, wouldn't give it to me on the grounds that I was 'overqualified.' She was quite rude about it actually. Not surprised they're going to strike. Anyone I've ever spoken to about their experiences working for the company have only had negative things to say.

SD

aziz · 08-03-2015 03:07AM

Holy Christ , what I have read here I think all dunnes stores should be burnt to the ground.i knew things were **** there as I have a sister working there but this is unbelievable.

Staff at Dunnes Stores vote for industrial action

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