Union concerned at Tesco's plan for 24-hour store

The retail workers' union Mandate has expressed "grave concern" at the prospect of unregulated 24-hour shopping following Tesco's announcement of the State's first round-the-clock supermarket.

The union is to meet Tesco management in the coming weeks to discuss conditions for staff at its Rathmines outlet in Dublin which will extend its opening hours to cover the period between 10 p.m. and 9 a.m.

Mandate's industrial officer, Mr John Douglas, said the development raised serious issues about pay and conditions as well as personal safety and security of staff. He called for a proper debate on controlling shop opening hours as, up to now, a small number of multiples had been "dictating" policy on the issue.

The need for proper security was underlined by the shooting incident last Thursday night at a Dunnes Stores outlet in Coolock, Dublin, he said. Two people were wounded when armed raiders entered the store at 9 p.m.

"It is also important to think of the impact of extended opening hours on the scope and nature of employment in the retail industry. The Irish Productivity Centre has concluded, for example, that all-year-round Sunday trading is unlikely to create any new jobs, and in fact British and French studies have concluded that many thousands of retail jobs would be lost in those countries if regulation did not exist."

He noted: "In Ireland, more than 60 per cent of retail workers are now part-time or casual and this proportion is continuing to rise."

Tesco has begun advertising for night staff at the Rathmines outlet, which is following in the footsteps of 60 of Tesco's 500 UK stores by opening for 24 hours.

Currently being refurbished, it is due to open on a round-the-clock basis as soon as next month.

A spokeswoman for Tesco said the Rathmines initiative was in response to customer demands in an area which saw "as many people on the streets at 3 a.m. as 3 p.m".

The move follows a pilot scheme last Christmas which saw 14 Tesco outlets remain open through December 23rd and 24th. Dunnes Stores also operates 24 hour shopping at Christmas time. However, a spokesman for the company said it had no plans to extend the initiative all year round.