Union claims Dunnes have 'dismissed' some staff after strike

Around 6,000 workers took part in the strike last Thursday to protest against zero-hour contracts that can lead to unpredictable working hours.

Mandate's Gerry Light said: "As a very last resort, and with no other option available to them, our members in Dunnes Stores took legitimate and reasonable industrial action.

"All they want is for their company to meaningfully engage with them through their union, with the objective of creating decent working conditions. Now, their employer is blatantly targeting people with the hope of intimidating their own loyal staff and turning them away from any future trade union activities.

Mr Light says Dunnes' response to workers has been deplorable.

"This behaviour by management in Dunnes Stores is deplorable and despicable and must be condemned by everybody."

"Instead of taking on board all of the support that was clearly evident from the public and elsewhere last week; instead of meaningfully engaging with the unions in an attempt to bring their workplace into line with the practices which are now commonplace with many of their competitors, they've gone and done the exact opposite."

The union highlighted one case of dismissal taking place less than 24 hours after the strike where the local manager informed the worker “the business isn’t there” despite workers with less service and who hadn’t been on strike remaining in employment.

They also cite instances of cuts to hours and workers, who have worked in certain departments for more than 20 years, being moved to other departments "where they may potentially lose hours and suffer a change to their established working patterns in the future".

Mandate also said that workers have reported changes to regular shift patterns which make it difficult to manage family commitments.