Dunnes Stores workers get 10% pay rise in ‘remarkable victory’ for staff

Dunnes Stores is making a 10 per cent Covid bonus part of its workers' basic pay following a campaign backed by trade union Mandate.

The retail chain paid almost 10,000 staff for remaining on the shop floor through a crisis that confined many workers to home.

Mandate confirmed on Thursday that Dunnes has added the 10 per cent bonus to workers’ basic wages, giving them an effective pay rise.

Jonathan Hogan, Mandate's assistant general secretary, explained the move means the 10 per cent will be pensionable and will be payable when workers take annual leave.

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“The 10 per cent is now part of the basic rate, it will increase their rate of pay going forward,” said Mr Hogan.

Dunnes’ workers last received a pay increase in 2019, according to the Mandate official.

The union lodged the claim for the 10 per cent with the company in March 2020 at the outset of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Dunnes added it as a temporary measure, but Mandate members in the company led a campaign to make it part of workers’ basic rate.

‘Remarkable victory’

The company does not recognise Mandate for collective bargaining, according to Mr Hogan, who said the increase was a “remarkable victory”.

Worker and Mandate Dunnes national committee member Cathy McLoughlin said staff were delighted to see the 10 per cent on their payslips when they received them on Thursday morning.

“I know lots of my colleagues are struggling to pay bills after rent and house price increases, along with fuel increases. So this is a very welcome Christmas present for them,” she added.

“This pay increase wasn’t just handed to us from nowhere. We had to fight for it, and we’ve got our just reward.”

She urged Dunnes workers not in the union to join, arguing there was still more to be achieved.

The campaign involved a petition signed by 2,500 of Mandate members’ colleagues in the company and a protest outside Dunnes’ head office to highlight its aims.

Customers launched their own petition, which 7,500 of the company’s shoppers signed.