Tesco strike over attacks on pay and conditions deferred as talks renewed

PICKETS due to be placed on more than 70 Tesco outlets across the 26 Counties on Monday have been deferred till Thursday as talks continue following the company’s threat of pay cuts and changes to conditions of employment for up to 300 staff.

The Mandate trade union says Tesco has the capacity to prevent the strike by withdrawing their threat to cut workers’ wages without agreement or by attending the Labour Court for a hearing on the matters in dispute.

Tesco management are attempting to force through changes to workers’ conditions of employment, including:-

• 15% to 35% pay cuts;
• The slashing of overtime;
• Cuts to Sunday and unsociable hours premiums from double pay to time and a half;
• A reduction in the annual bonus;
• Changes to rosters.

Mandate say Tesco’s campaign of attacks on workers with more than 20 years service is “disgraceful”.

Gerry Light, Mandate Assistant General Secretary, said:

“Tesco management are forcing changes to contracts for workers employed before 1996. These changes will seriously undermine living standards for our members who have mortgages and other commitments which were made on the back of their conditions of employment over the last 20-30 years.”

He added that Tesco is an extremely profitable employer making more than €200million in profits in the 26 Counties “and now they’re attacking the very people who built the company to what it is today”.

Mandate says many of the Tesco workers have phoned the union in tears over the treatment they are receiving from the company. Reports from members say they are being pressured into leaving the business or face the prospect of severely-reduced living standards.

Gerry Light said:

“Despite the anxiety and stress perpetrated by the company on their own employees, hundreds of our members have remained in the business and are prepared to fight to maintain their conditions of employment.”

More than 99% of pre-1996 staff voted to take industrial action in a ballot last month. Last Sunday, 88% of their colleagues in pre-1996 stores not affected by the cuts balloted in favour of supportive industrial action.

Gerry Light concluded:

“Tesco’s actions are a worry for all of our members in the company. They are tearing up contracts of employment and implementing changes without agreement. If they get away with doing this to their longest-serving members of staff, who will be next?”

Sinn Féin TD David Cullinane, the party’s all-Ireland spokesperson on Workers’ Rights, facilitated an all-party briefing by the Mandate trade union in Leinster House on the ongoing attempt by Tesco to cut the pay of long-serving staff.

He said:

“If a hugely profitable company like Tesco can cut pay and conditions for long-serving staff without agreement, then it doesn’t bode well for other workers in our economy.

“I am delighted to see the broader trade union movement row in behind Mandate and the workers involved.”

He hoped the all-party briefing could lead to more pressure being exerted on the company.

Keep up with the campaign via TescoWorkersTogether.

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