Workers say the increase in pay would be "life-changing".
Dunnes Stores workers have lodged a pay claim with the company, seeking a minimum 7.7% pay increase for all workers.
The union is also requesting an increase in annual leave days, improvements to staff discounts, and more full-time jobs.
If they're successful, the new pay scale would provide workers on the lowest point of the scale with a 7.7% percent hourly pay increase, and those at the top with a 7.9% pay increase.
“We believe this is reasonable given inflation is currently running at more than 9 percent,” said Patrick Killeen, a member of Mandate Trade Union’s Dunnes National Committee.
Lorraine O'Brien, Mandate's National Coordinator explained that there are multiple pay scales in Dunnes Stores, with some workers receiving more than others despite being in the same position.
Here are the full requests for new pay and annual leave increases:
- Year 1 - €13.30 per hour (ph) with 21 days annual leave.
- Year 2 - €14.00ph with 22 days annual leave.
- Year 3 - €14.75ph with 23 days annual leave.
- Year 4 - €15.50ph with 24 days annual leave.
- Year 5 - €16.25ph with 25 days annual leave.
- Year 6 - €17.75ph with 25 days annual leave.
- Year 10 - €19.25ph with 25 days annual leave.
The pay claim was formed following consultations with Dunnes workers, including a survey of more than 1,600 employees.
87% of respondents said that understaffing was an issue in their store, and 92% said that if hours were to become available, they should be offered to existing staff first.
“The allocation of hours and understaffing are serious concerns for Dunnes workers," said Alex Homits, a Dunnes worker and Mandate activist from Dublin.
"Many of us want to work longer hours because we can’t pay our bills, but the company won’t allow us, choosing to either understaff stores, which leads to huge pressure on staff, which in turn leads to health and safety concerns, or else they hire more workers on lower rates of pay."
“We’re still in the midst of a pandemic which has changed how we should look at things like sick pay. Dunnes workers and tens of thousands of other shop workers risked their lives and their health over the last two years and the least we should get is a decent sick pay scheme.”
