Video – Attitude of Dunnes Stores management 'entirely shameful'

WORKERS at more than 100 Dunnes Stores outlets across the state are on picket lines today as management continues to refuse to enter into meaningful negotiations on issues with workers' representatives including job security, low pay, fair hours and the right to trade union representation.

Speaking to An Phoblacht as he and other Sinn Féin representatives visited workers on a picket line at St Stephen's Green Shopping Centre in Dublin city centre, Gerry Adams said:

"Workers have the right to organise, to unionise and should have the right to a living wage."

Describing the attitude of Dunnes Stores management and ownership as "entirely shameful" he said:

"I think everybody should stand by these workers, because not only are they active for themselves, but this is for workers right across the state where there is a race to the bottom in terms of low-pay. We're saying very clearly that we unambiguously support these workers."

Raising the issue at Leaders' Questions in the Dáil today, Mary Lou McDonald TD called on Tánaiste Joan Burton to immediately move to enshrine the rights of workers in law.

Calling for the enactment of long-promised collective bargaining legislation and the implementation of the Part Time Workers Directive, she said:

"Your failure to protect workers is evidence of how little has changed since Fine Gael and Labour took office".