THE conduct of industrial disputes in the State may never be the same again if Mandate goes ahead today with its campaign against Dunnes Stores. Among the first events to be affected could be the women's mini marathon in Dublin this weekend.
Founded by the Evening Press the event is being sponsored this year by Dunnes. It has attracted more than 20,000 participants last year it raised £3 million for charity.
But Mandate's involvement depends on the outcome of a ballot of 6,000 members on the latest pay offer from the company. In the unlikely event that they accept the offer, then the principal issue in dispute with Dunnes Stores is settled.
Ever since a meeting of 150 Dunnes Stores shop stewards' voted unanimously to reject the offer two weeks ago, the result has not really been in doubt. The company's offer falls far short of Labour Court recommendations last year, which were the basis for settling a bitter three week long strike.
Mandate ran a highly effective publicity campaign in tandem with the strike, with the result that many shoppers boycotted the Republic's largest retail chain store.
This year, Mandate plans to launch its publicity campaign well ahead of any industrial action that might be contemplated. If the ballot were to reject the latest offer from Dunnes it could be some weeks before pickets appear.
But before that the union will have to go back to the company, inform it of the result and see if Dunnes would offer better terms before a ballot of the members on strike action and then the service of strike notice on the company.,
In the meantime, Mandate is taking to the streets to try and convince the public of the justice of its cause. The Women's Mini Marathon will be the first event targeted by the union. The action planned is understood to involve a highly effective but non-disruptive involvement in the event.
Details of this and other activities are expected to be announced at the Mandate headquarters later today, once the ballot result is known.
In what might be regarded as an opening salvo in the propaganda war earlier this week, the union issued a press release accusing the company of paying some employees £65 a week less than its official in house rates.
The company responded by saying it was "outraged" at the cynical way the union had misrepresented wage rates in the firm. A spokesman said that only about 8 per cent of staff were on the lower rates, in line with industry norms.
However, the union disputes this. It says the numbers are higher and some young people, paid the lower "ancillary rates" for jobs such as collecting trolleys and packing customers' groceries, are being asked to do the work of older, better paid staff.
Dunnes Stores is clearly worried at the prospect of disruption to the mini-marathon, but a spokesman said yesterday it did not want to comment at this stage.