Penrose supports Tesco workers
Willie Penrose TD has written to Tesco Ireland seeking them to withdraw their threat to unilaterally change their workers conditions of employment, including pay cuts.
“I am calling upon Tesco to accept the invitation of the Unions representing workers to attend the Labour Court in order to resolve this dispute. They should also fully implement the terms of the Labour Court recommendation issued on the 19th February which said all workers in Tesco are entitled to a 2% pay increase and a share bonus payment. This pay increase has not been paid to those loyal workers who were employed before 1996.
Tesco is a highly profitable company largely due to the hard work of their loyal and long serving staff members. Issuing threats to change the conditions of long term employees who have been employed before 1996 without their agreement is a retrograde step in the conduct of industrial relations, and shows scant regard for the loyalty of the workforce, and sets a dangerous precedent. It would also mean that workers would lose a substantial amount of disposable income, which impacts upon their ability to meet financial commitments and pay essential bills.
I am calling upon Tesco, to withdraw this threat to change the conditions of employment without agreement, and to meaningfully engage with the workers representatives, their trade unions, and utilise the States industrial relations machinery, the Labour Court, if necessary. It is the least these loyal employees deserve, and there is an opportunity of doing so now before the 15th May next” Deputy Penrose Concluded