Industrial action by more than 2,000 Marks & Spencer workers has seen the retailer’s stores across the State close for today.

The industrial action is taking place on one of the busiest shopping days in the lead-up to Christmas even though trade union Mandate insisted workers do not want to strike during the festive season.

Marks and Spencer has said its shops will reopen tomorrow and apologised to customers in a tweet today. It has more than 15 stores across the State.

Mandate assistant general secretary Gerry Light said management had forced their hands in a row over the closure of a pension scheme.

“Management have not given sufficient evidence that these cost-saving proposals are justified,” he said. “And in that context it is difficult for the workers to accept the unilateral imposition of cost-saving measures, like the closing of the defined benefit pension scheme which, unlike many, is performing and has a current surplus of €17 million.”

Staff voted overwhelmingly in favour of the action last month. Mandate represents the vast majority of the 2,300 employees in the retail chain’s 17 shops across the State.

It said the company had proposed a string of other cuts, including a reduction in the Sunday and public holiday premium paid to staff, the removal of a Christmas bonus, and a reduction in the number of section managers.

Today’s walkout will be the first of a number, with two further days of action planned before Christmas. Pickets will also be staged at the stores after 94 per cent of those balloted backed a protest.

Mr Light claimed the company’s repeated statements about wanting to meet to resolve the dispute are disingenuous. “Notwithstanding the pre-emptive attack on our members’ terms and conditions, the union attended two conciliation conferences at the Labour Relations Commission in order to find a resolution,” he said.

He urged Marks and Spencer to return to the negotiating table with a “genuine determination” to agree a settlement that is acceptable to workers.

A Marks and Spencer spokesman accused unions of misleading employees and customers to gain support for this “disruptive strike”.

“We will not be put off course by the threat of industrial action,” he said. “The impact of diverting now would be hugely detrimental to our customers, our employees and our business and put our plans for future investment in doubt.”

The spokesman said he hoped the unions would reopen meaningful negotiations to prevent any further disruption and inconvenience for customers and employees.

Marks and Spencer said, contrary to claims from union representatives that the majority of employees are affected by the pension scheme closure, only a third would be affected.

It said an independent review carried out by Deloitte confirmed that, as of March this year, the pension scheme was showing a deficit of €12.6 million.

The €17 million surplus figure was based on a minimum funding standard which is unrealistic for a scheme with so few retired members, the spokesman added.

Trade union Siptu confirmed its members who work for Marks and Spencer will also take part in the strike.