Tesco approach to staff ‘deeply unjust and unfair’ - Calleary

Ciara Galvin

FIANNA FΡil spokesperson on Jobs, Dara Calleary, has said Tesco Ireland staff should be treated fairly and with respect.
Calleary outlined his opinions of Tesco management in a letter to CEO of Tesco Ireland Andrew Yaxley ahead of planned strike action this week.
The strike, which was due to take place yesterday (Monday), was called off to allow talks to occur later this week.
Tesco workers who are part of Mandate, were to strike in 70 stores over the company’s plans to propose changes to the contracts of long serving workers that will see a reduction in their pay.
Tesco Ireland employs up to 14,500 workers in 149 stores in Ireland and while the company does not publish its Irish profits, Mandate estimates the company is making up to €250m in profits annually.
In his letter, Deputy Calleary said many of the workers involved had given ‘many decades in some cases thirty years of service to Tesco and previously to Quinnsworth, which Tesco bought in Ireland’.
Mandate members employed by Tesco stands at approximately 128 staff in Castlebar, 71 in Ballina, 85 in Westport, 105 in Claremorris, 83 in Swinford and 67 in Ballinrobe.
Calleary’s letter went on  saying that the success of the business was based on the efforts of workers and on their interaction with customers and said that Tesco ‘owe these workers respect and fairness’, adding that ‘we don’t feel they have given them that to date.’
New talks between unions and the company are due to take place on Wednesday at the Workplace Relations Commission.