Staff at Dunnes Stores in Limerick to strike

Up to 240 of the 300 staff at a Limerick branch of Dunnes Stores are to hold a one-day strike tomorrow in protest at alleged bullying and harassment from management.

The Mandate-represented staff will picket the Parkway Dunnes Stores for 12 hours tomorrow in an effort to highlight what they say is bullying, harassment and unilaterally introduced changes in working hours at the store.

It is not yet clear whether the store will have to close. Dunnes Stores refused to comment on the issue when contacted by ireland.comtoday. The company could draft in managers from other stores to bolster the non-union workers.

Mr Brian Higgins, Mandate Organiser, said many issues dated back to 2001. He suggested the "managerial attitude" towards staff at the Parkway branch was indicative of a company-wide view and this made similar strikes in other outlets likely.

"The management at Dunnes Stores are acutely aware of the issues concerning our members, namely the ongoing and consistent level of bullying and harassment which is taking place at the Parkway branch, the lack of ventilation in the summer and the poor standard of heating during colder periods, and more recently the unilateral introduction of changes to working hours and working patterns which were introduced without any form of consultation with our members or their union," he said.

He also accused the company of failing to utilise the agreed conflict-resolution mechanisms.