Dublin South West Sinn Féin TD, Seán Crowe, has accused Tesco’s senior management of behaving irresponsibly in trying to strong arm changes to work practices and wages. Tesco currently has two stores in Dublin South West.

In recent weeks, Tesco has decided to take the extraordinary action of bypassing its workers’ union, Mandate, and unilaterally imposing the terms of a contract. These terms, if accepted, would mean a pay cut of more than 15%, in addition to an attack on terms and conditions for the company’s longest-serving workers.

The Sinn Féin TD said that these changes would in reality mean that the State and Irish taxpayers will have to subsidise them through supports like Family Income Supplements.

Deputy Seán Crowe said:

“Tesco’s management have conveniently ignored a Labour Court recommendation for 1,000 of their 14,500 workers in Ireland, and now are trying to introduce plans for unilateral pay cuts of up to 15%, to change the working conditions of employment, the work patterns, and the bonus payments of long term staff.

“This is sharp practice and is unacceptable to the vast majority of their workers and that is why they have balloted for industrial action.

“Tesco is no pauper. It is a serious player in the retail sector. It is the largest private sector employer in Ireland. What happens to its 11,000 retail workers in the coming days will impact the entire sector.

“Tesco are seeking to increase their profit margin by forcing staff to accept significantly reduced take home pay. Claims by Tesco that this is about streamlining its pay streams ignores the reality that for many workers their conditions of employment will depreciate, be made worse under this plan, and their take home pay will contain a lot less.

“Tesco needs to rethink its current workplace strategy, negotiate properly with the workers’ union, and step back from the brink in what could be a very damaging industrial strike.”

Crowe continued:

“The failure to legislate to protect workers, especially low paid workers, has cleared the way for the extension of zero hour contracts and the exploitation of low paid workers. This lack of legislation has emboldened many companies and is contributing to a race to the bottom by employers in the retail sector who are chasing ever increasing profits.

“This proposal if successful will also lead to the State and by extension Irish taxpayers subsidising newly made low paid workers by supports like the Family Income Supplement.

“Tesco’s warped idea that you penalise staff who have worked for you for decades is a new low and needs to be stopped before it takes traction with other multiples in the retail sector.

“Thankfully Tesco workers and customers have a say and collectively we all need to give a loud answer of no to this proposed practice and support any forthcoming industrial action.”

ENDS