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Says Dunnes Stores Has Reached a New Low in Employee Relations
An employee of Dunnes Stores in the Ashleaf centre in Crumlin in Dublin has been sacked by the supermarket chain for wearing her union badge in the workplace. Joanne Delaney, a Shop Steward at the store recently received an indefinite suspension from work for wearing a badge identifying her as a member of Mandate, the Union which represents over 40,000 workers in the retail sector and bar trade, including staff at Dunnes. Joanne received a letter on 29th November 2005 informing her that she had been dismissed by the company.
Dunnes Stores has accused her of not complying with company policy in relation to the wearing of her union badge on her uniform. The Mandate member had been suspended by a manager at the store since 18th October for refusing to remove the Mandate Trade Union badge from her uniform. The suspended member was advised to attend a disciplinary meeting at 6.00p.m. on Friday, 21st October . However, the meeting was cancelled due to the fact that she was accompanied by her Union Representative. The Company has continually denied her the right to be represented by a Trade Union Official at meetings with management.
Responding to the dismissal, Mandy Kane, Divisional Organiser of Mandate said “This sacking is petty, vindictive and does the image of Dunnes Stores no favours whatsoever. Relations with Dunnes have been declining all the time. However, this particular case would seem to indicate that the company has reached an unprecedented low point in its dealings with its staff on the shop floor. Despite the efforts of Mandate to seek a resolution to this issue over many weeks, the company has continued to frustrate our genuine attempts to represent our member through established procedures. Joanne has been told by company management that her employment has been terminated because of her refusal to comply with what they say is company policy. Mandate is at a loss as to which part of company policy prohibits the wearing of a badge on a staff uniform.”
Brendan Archbold, National Official with Mandate explained that there are well established mechanisms available to Dunnes Stores and operated by the union which had been repeatedly by-passed by the company during this whole process. “The decision by Dunnes to sack a member of Mandate for wearing her union badge is symptomatic of a wider campaign by the chain to undermine this union and to systematically erode our right to represent our members effectively. For a considerable period of time now, it has been clear to Mandate that the company has wilfully and methodically sought to obstruct our efforts to engage with them on a variety of issues. This is just one example of the company’s deplorable attitude to Trade Unions. Issues such as this have contributed to the souring of the industrial relations environment in Dunnes Stores. The company continues to ignore the principles of natural justice and the Labour Relations Commission code of practice on disciplinary procedures as they work to isolate and emasculate the union. Unless this matter is dealt with satisfactorily from the union’s point of view, it has the potential to escalate given the worsening atmosphere at the company” he concluded.
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