Mandate Trade Union members in Dunnes Stores have today voted by more than two thirds in favour of industrial action.

The union said in a statement today that a national strike committee will take meet on Tuesday to determine the type of industrial action and the date of that action.

The union is accusing Dunnes Stores of using low-hour contracts, and it is seeking improved security of hours and earnings for staff.

Gerry Light, Mandate Assistant General Secretary said: “Despite Dunnes Stores threatening job losses and cuts in hours, our members have taken the remarkable and very brave decision of voting in favour of industrial action.

"The close result of this ballot is a reflection of the nervousness felt by staff members over their security of income and security of their jobs,” he said.

“They have reached the end of the road and in many ways the result of the ballot today was the inevitable waiting to happen.”

“Where else can they go after the company has closed off and rejected all reasonable approaches by the union and the Labour Court to deal with the issues in dispute?”

He added, “Least we forget, Dunnes remains a highly profitable retailer with an estimated turnover of approximately €2.2b in the Irish grocery sector alone. It won’t cost them anything but pride to sit down and negotiate a banded hours framework which would afford their employees the same security of hours and income which is common place in all of their main competitors.

Mr Light added that Dunnes Stores management should know that industrial action is entirely avoidable.

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